French and Various. 131 



Scotch DuMriEs, Go Laighs, Bakies, or Creepers, 

 are almost extinct ; but they are profitable fowls, and 

 ought to be more common, as they are very hardy, pro- 

 ductive layers of fine large eggs, and their flesh is white 

 and of excellent quality. They should have large, heavy 

 bodies ; short, white, clean legs, not above an inch and 

 a half or two inches in length. The plumage is a mixture 

 of black or brown, and white. They are good layers of fine 

 large eggs. They cannot be surpassed as sitters and 

 mothers, and are much valued by gamekeepers for hatching 

 the eggs of pheasants. The cocks should weigh six or 

 seven and the hen five or six pounds. 



The Silky fowl is so called from its plumage, which is 

 snowy white, being all discomposed and loose, and of a 

 silky appearance, resembling spun glass. The comb and 

 wattles are purple ; the bones and the periosteum, or mem- 

 brane covering the bones, black, and the skin blue or 

 purple ; but the flesh, however, is white and tender, and 

 superior to that of most breeds. It is a good layer of small, 

 round, and excellent eggs. The cock generally weighs 

 less than three, and the hen less than two, pounds. It 

 comes from Japan and China, and generally thrives in our 

 climate. The chickens are easily reared if not hatched 

 before April nor later than June. They are capital foster- 

 mothers for partridges, and other small and tender game. 



The RuMPKiN, or Rumpless fowl, a Persian breed, not 

 only lacks the tail-feathers but the tail itself. It is hardy, 

 of moderate size, and varies in colour, but is generally 

 black or brown, and from the absence of tail appears 

 rounder than other fowls. The hens are good layers, but 

 the eggs are often unfertile. They are good sitters and 

 mothers, and the flesh is of fair quality. 



The Friesland, so named from confoiuiding the term 

 ^^ frizzled " with Friesland, is remarkable from having all 

 the feathers, except those of the wings and tail, frizzled, or 

 curled up the wrong way. It is small, very delicate, and a 

 shower drenches it to the skin. 



Barndoor fowl are a mongrel race, compounded by 

 chance, usually of the Game, Dorking, and Polish breeds. 



