Among the tame Pigeons, those which the _Italians_ call'd _Tronfo_, and we
Runts, are the largest; but these may be again distinguish'd under the
Characters of greater and smaller: those which are commonly call'd the
_Spanish_ Runts, are very much esteem'd, being the largest sort of Pigeon,
and are sluggish, and more slow of flight, than the smaller sort of Runts;
but the smaller Runts are better Breeders, and quick of flight, which is to
be esteem'd; because if they were to seek their Food far, they can range
much more Ground, or return home much quicker on occasion of stormy or wet
Weather. As for the Colours of their Feathers, they are uncertain, so that
one cannot judge of the sort by them.
The next, which makes the largest Figure, but is not in reality the largest
Bird, is the Cropper; it is so named, because they usually do, by
attracting the Air, blow up their Crops to an extraordinary bigness, even
so sometimes as to be as large as their Bodies. This sort is esteemed the
better, as it can swell its Crop to the largest Size. The Bodies of this
sort are about the bigness of the smaller Runt, but somewhat more slender.
This sort, like the former, is of various Colours in the Feathers.
The next are those Pigeons call'd Shakers, and are said to be of two sorts,
_viz.
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