268 



TUE SPANISU FOWLS. BANKIVA FOWL. 



THE SPAN'ISH FOWLS. 



The Black Spanish fowls are favorites among the poulterers. Thej 



are large, showy, and possess thfl 

 blackest of plumage. They hav< 

 an unusually large comb and wat 

 ties, and a white cheek. Asiuble 

 birds, their flesh is particuhuiy 

 white, tender and juic)' The 

 hens are la vers of the tirsi order 

 being extremely prolific, easy 

 fed, and easy to control, when 

 reipiired to sit. "I regard these 

 birds," says Kichardson, "as tlif 

 result of the highest artijicii 

 culture,'' and in sujiport of his 

 opinion, lie adduces their un- 

 usunlly large comb and wattles, 

 characteristics not found in the 

 primitive varieties. The eggs are 

 of large size, fine-flavored, and 

 urdike most of the eggs from 

 dark colored poultry, the shells 

 are white us alabaster. 



SPANISH FOWLS. 



THE BAXKIVA FOWL. 



This fowl is supposed to be the original stock, of our domestic 

 varieties. Dickson thus describes it: — "The cock has a thiu, in 

 dented, or scolloped comb, and wattles under the mouth: the tail a 

 little elevated above the rump, and the feathers somewhat disposec 

 in the form of tiles. The feathers of the neck are long, fdling down 

 and rounded at the tips, and are of the finest gold color. The head 

 ind neck are fawn-colored; the wing coverts are dusky, brownish 

 und black; the tail and belly are blark ; the hen is of a dusky, ashy 

 gray and yellowish color, and has her comb and beard much smaller 

 than the cock, with no feathers on ti^e neck, besides the long hackles.' 



The Bankiva cock is nearly twice as large as the common Bantam 

 The hen is scarcely as large as S >nuerat's Jungle fowl. The breed 

 IS native to the East Indies, where it is much valued by the loven 

 ot cock-fighting. The Bankiva is very b.^ld and spirited, though 

 inferior to Sonnerat's fowl in these (pialities as in others more vain 

 able. It was for some time a question, whether this fowl was not 

 derived from the same stock as the larger Jungle fowl; but the 

 question has been determined in favor of its being a distinct variety. 



The Jungle fowls have a ]>owerfuI hody, short wings, and a moderate- 

 sized graduated tail, consisting of fourteen leathers, placed vertically 

 one above another. The beak is long, of modinm length, the high ioot is 

 armed with a spur; a fleshy comb rises at the top of the iiead, and 

 from the lower part of the beak depend soft flesiiy wattles ; the region of 

 the cheek is bare. The thick variegated plumage is so prolonged on 



