128 Fi^ench and Various. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



FRENCH AND TARIOUS. 



The French breeds are remarkable for great weight and 

 excellent quality of flesh, with a very small proportion of 

 bones and offal ; their breeders having paid great attention 

 to those important, substantial, and commercial points 

 instead of devoting almost exclusive attention to colour and 

 other fancy points as we have done. As a rule they are 

 all non-sitters, or sit but rarely. 



The Creve Cceur has been known the longest and most 

 generally. This breed is said to derive its name from a 

 village so called in Normandy, Avhence its origin can be 

 distinctly traced ; but others fancifully say, from the re- 

 semblance of its peculiar comb to a broken heart. It is 

 scarce, and pure-bred birds are diliicult to procure. The 

 Creve Coeur is a fine large bird, black in plumage, or nearly 

 so, with short, clean black legs, square body, deep chest, 

 and a large and extraordinary crest or comb, Avhich is thus 

 described by M. Jacque : ''Various, but always forming- 

 two horns, sometimes parallel, straight, and fleshy ; some- 

 times joined at the base, slightly notched, pointed, and 

 separating at their extremities ; sometimes adding to this 

 latter description interior ramifications like the horns of 

 a young stag. The comb, shaped like horns, gives the 

 Creve Coeur the appearance of a devil." It is bearded, and 

 has a top-knot or crest behind the comb. They are very 

 quiet, walk slowly, scratch 1)ut little, do not fly, are very 

 tame, ramble but little, and prefer seeking their food on 

 the dunghill in the poultry-yard to wandering afar off. 

 They are the most contented of all breeds in confinement, 

 and will thrive in a limited space. They are tame, tract- 

 al)le fowls, iKit inclined to roup and similar diseases in our 

 climate, and therefore prosper most on a dry, light soil, 



