EXHIBITING SPANISH. 



397 



that since trying the practice of trimming Spanish 

 faces, he himself now preferred it : he had never, 

 he said, seen the full beauty of his own birds 

 before, and did not think it could be seen with- 

 out trimming. And he frankly admitted that the 

 present clear and open understanding upon the 

 point (partly due, as his modesty omitted to state, 

 to his own prominent action) had removed what- 

 ever objection he might formerly have entertained. 



Besides the trimming process, however, 

 which is best deferred till a very few days before 

 exhibition, Spanish faces require daily attention 

 while penned up before a show, and some Bristol 

 fanciers used to give it regularly to their few 

 best specimens, and attached much importance 

 to such daily regimen. Providing a very soft 

 bit of sponge, a very soft towel, some mild soap, 

 and a powder-puff with some powdered oxide of 

 zinc (violet-powder will answer, but is not so 

 dry), every day the face is gently sponged over 

 with soap and lukewarfn water (neither hot nor 

 cold), going well into every crease. It is then 

 as carefully and gently dried with the towel, 

 again giving special attention to any creases, 

 and finally puffed with the zinc powder. This 

 is not, as some suppose, to leave white on the 

 face, and before sending off care should be 

 taken that no powder is left on ; it is merely in 

 order to thoroughly dry the skin. This treat- 

 ment will be found to make a rapid and wonder- 

 ful difference in the condition of the faces. 



Convenience in regard to such constant 

 manipulation, deserves a little thought, and 

 different people manage in various ways. 

 Some of our friends used to tie the bird's legs 

 together with a piece of rag, and rest the body 

 on the lap, with its breast-bone between the 

 operator's thighs, and the legs hanging down 

 in the centre : after once or twice the fowl is 

 generally quiet thus. Others rested the bird in 

 the same way, but passed a handkerchief over 

 its back, tied underneath the thighs of the 

 washer ; this is a good plan, but as the latter 

 cannot move while the handkerchief is tied, he 

 must see that he has absolutely everything 

 within reach. Some preferred an assistant to 

 hold the bird, but Mr. Roue invented what he 

 called a cock-saddle. It was a piece of board 

 about two feet long and five inches wide, cut 

 out or narrowed from both sides at one place 

 for the bird's thighs to hang down. At one end 

 of this narrowed place a padded cushion was 

 arranged for the stern to rest against ; and at the 

 other end of it were two longitudinal cushions 

 side by side with a channel between, in which 

 the breast-bone rested : thus the bird was on 

 its breast between the two cushions in front, its 

 stem against the cushion behind, and the thighs 



and legs hanging down in the places narrowed 

 or cut in for them. In this position it was 

 secured by two straps buckled over the back, 

 and braced together at a proper interval. The 

 whole arrangement he used to insert into the 

 drawer of a kitchen dresser, opened about three 

 inches, more or less, by which it was easily 

 adjusted at any slant required. He found the 

 birds perfectly quiet on this saddle, and they 

 soon received their daily treatment with the 

 most absolute indifference. 



In cold weather Spanish require efficient 

 protection as regards the baskets in which they 

 travel. The exhibitors whom we knew most 

 of, used to line their baskets with flannel, which 

 was well shrunk before being used. This gave 

 ample ventilation, while it gives what the usual 

 linings do not — good protection from cold and 

 draught. As in all large-combed breeds, the 

 baskets for cocks should be rather high. Some 

 care should be taken in severe weather to select 

 trains that are likely not to be too long on the 

 road, for this breed undoubtedly suffers more 

 than most from severe cold. It feels keenly 

 also at the moulting season. At this time the 

 combs shrink and shrivel to a great degree, so 

 that even a good hen may appear to have an 

 upright or " prick " comb ; but on getting into 

 condition again the former size is restored. 

 Iron tonic is particularly beneficial at this time, 

 also a little old ale. 



As in the case of all black fowls, there is 

 some little variation at times in the plumage of 

 Spanish. Age will often bring many feathers 



tipped with white, sometimes all 

 Variations gg^ which gives a very curious 



Spanish. appearance ; and now and then 



actually white birds have sported, 

 as in other varieties. One or two fanciers have 

 bred these together, and produced a White 

 Spanish ; but the effect of white face upon 

 white plumage has always been felt unpleasing, 

 and in no case has the stock been kept up per- 

 manently, though we knew one yard in which it 

 was bred for several years. Red or reddish-gold 

 feathers are also liable to occur in the cock's 

 hackles, the birds so disfigured being, as the 

 late Mr. H. Lane pointed out to us, usually the 

 richest and most glossy in colour of all in the 

 yard. The fact is worth mention, because Mr. 

 Darwin has made in regard to it a curious mis- 

 take through over much dependence upon what 

 was told him, to the effect that " all who know 

 anything of the breeding of poultry will admit 

 that tens of thousands of pure Spanish . . . 

 have been reared without the appearance of a 

 red feather."* Of course, in one sense tens of 



* Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication. 



