THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



purchaser) the chickens be sorted out, not only 

 as cockerels and pullets, but into lots according 

 to their value, as well as age. It is distinctly 

 prejudicial to sales to show a purchaser birds 

 far superior to what he is able or willing to pay 

 for — it makes these latter appear distinctly worse 

 by comparison ; and for this reason some breeders 

 keep their very best away, where they are never 

 seen by visitors at all. On the other hand, a 

 successful breeder requires to keep even his own 

 eye in training, and critical to demand a certain 

 high standard of perfection ; this is far better 

 done if his very choicest are kept in one run 

 together. Such a plan, moreover, keeps the best 

 birds more constantly under the eye, and makes 

 any weak point apparent early, when perhaps 

 something may be done to remedy it. 



Thus, in regard to the final furnishing or 

 feathering out, it may happen that the tail 

 and other feathers seem to hang 

 Backward in development. This should al- 

 Plumage. vvays receive attention, but its 



proper treatment will depend upon 

 circumstances. If iron tonics and meat have 

 not hitherto been given, these and a little sul- 

 phur every other day will often put matters 

 right. But if they have been part of the regi- 

 men already, it is no use giving more ; possibly 

 they may have already been overdone. More 

 benefit is lilcely in such a case to follow a daily 

 dose of 6 to lo grains citrate of potash, which 

 is not lowering, but often has a wonderful effect, 

 purifying and invigorating the blood. Above 

 all, however, the bird should be most sedulously 

 examined for insect vermin, which is a most 

 frequent cause of these apparent stoppages, es- 

 pecially where dust baths are denied to the birds 

 for fear of injuring the plumage, and insecticides 

 relied upon instead. A fowl infested with 

 vermin cannot be matured into good condition. 



Among the many large-combed breeds now 

 so popular, an apparently good comb may 

 appear to be falling over, and if treated at once, 

 may often be saved, at all events for 

 Comb one particular show. This danger 



Falling Over, h^g much increased since the pre- 

 judicial craze for exaggerated combs 

 has been in vogue, and really bad cases are 

 not curable, especially when they have ensued 

 upon warm housing and free meat feeding. 

 Even when a biid is reared upon a moderate 

 regimen and in a cool house, however, the mere 

 strain of feathering out will sometimes cause 

 a flabbiness or lassitude of comb that denotes 

 evident danger. Here tonic, or if iron tonic has 

 already been given, change of it to a tonic pill 

 of I grain sulphate of iron and \ grain of 

 quinine, or better perhaps i grain citrate of 



iron and lo grains citrate of potash, will be of 

 assistance; and the comb should be placed in a 

 support or cage. Such supports are advertised 

 of slightly dilTerent patterns, which may be 

 suitable for dift'erent heads and combs ; but all 

 are founded upon that formerly used by the 

 celebrated Spanish breeders of Bristol, devised 

 by the late Mr. Sydenham Roue, which is equal 

 to any of them, and is shown in Fig. Si. 



The wire should be of aluminium or tinned 

 iron, not copper, and is bent in one piece from the 

 centre at A. The portion from A to B is care- 

 fully fitted to the skull at the base of the comb, 

 so that B exactly reaches the nostrils, and the 

 curve from B to C should about follow the base 

 of the serrations, the ends at C being a little 

 opened to avoid chafing. The wire should be 

 first covered with thin red worsted to prevent 



Si. — Comb Support. 



sores. To put it on, the thin horn or cartilage 

 between the two nostrils is pierced with a needle, 

 which does not appear to give any pain at all ; 

 then A being drawn forward as far as it will go 

 under the back of the comb, a bit of silk thread 

 (or carbolised ligature would be better) is passed 

 through the nostrils and corners B, and tied in 

 a knot, tightly enough but not too much so, 

 over the nostrils. If necessary, the wires at 

 some point in the curve between B and C can 

 also be tied together, by a thread through near 

 the bottom of the notch between two spikes. 

 Some tie to the wires between B and C, inside 

 and next the comb, curved slips of card. As a 

 rule, a bird thus decorated must be kept from 

 hens, who have a propensity to peck at any knot 

 and so destroy the arrangement. The legitimate 

 usefulness of such a support as this is great, 

 since cockerels often return from a heated show 

 with a comb relaxed and drooping, or it may 

 fall over during moult, or the frame may tide 

 a cockerel over the temporary critical period of 

 lassitude here in question. There are, however, 

 birds which rarely have it off except during 

 exhibition, whose combs " will stand about a 

 week " and no more ; and it was the deliberate 



