398 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



thousands have been so, being selected free 

 from them ; but in the whole of tens of 

 thousands bred, many red feathers would be 

 seen. Such should be rejected in breeding, 

 unless for some extraordinary quality in face ; 

 and by this selection coloured feathers ought 

 to be reduced to a mere percentage. 



It is difficult at present to appraise the 

 economic value of Spanish. The- breed was 

 never very good for table ; the flesh and skin are 



white, as in most black fowls, but 

 Qualities -^^^ former generally rather short 



Spanish. ^-nd dry in character, and there is 



seldom much upon the breast- 

 bone, which usually projects, with little meat 

 upon it. Its ancient fame was as a layer of 

 very large white eggs, many of which were 

 laid in winter, by young birds, when the breed 

 was kept fairly hardy. We had some old 

 returns of 150 to as much as i/O eggs in a 

 year; and even so lately as 1S70 the Bristol 

 breeders, or most of them, reckoned on an 

 average of 120 per annum, which was pretty 

 fair for days when feeding for eggs was not 

 understood as it is to-day. We fear no exhibi- 

 tion stock would reach such an average now, 

 and whether the economic value of the breed 

 can be recovered it is difficult to say. The one 

 great necessity, above all, is an increase of 

 breeders, to provide a variety of blood reared 

 upon different soils : next to that a certain 

 amount of return to more hardy methods of 

 treatment. With more care and some common- 

 sense in these respects, and more breeders, we 

 believe much might yet be done ; the field is 

 very open, in face of the small competition, for 

 any disposed to enter it ; and it is much to be 

 desired that a fowl which, take it all in all, is 

 certainly one of the most stately and hand- 

 some amongst all the breeds, should be rescued 

 from its present position. Among the poultry 

 breeders in Australia, as we write (191 1), there 

 is evidence of a marked revival of interest in 

 the breed. 



In judging Spanish, the face is of course the 

 chief point. Its size, its quality, its shape, its 

 freedom or otherwise from folds and doubling, 

 all have to be considered. A broad face and 

 lobe rather short, if not too short, is better than 

 a long one too narrow. Comb is also important, 

 and these head-points make most of the bird. 

 But handsome carriage and proportion should 

 also be considered ; here especially many 

 present specimens fall short, being too tall and 

 weedy owing to their poverty of blood. The 



following is the Standard of Perfection as 

 adopted by the Poultry Club : — 



GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS 



Head. — Skull : Long, broad, and deep. Beak : 

 Long and stout. Eyes : Full and open. Comb . 

 Single, somewhat small, erect and straight, firmly 

 fixed at the base, rather thin at the edge, fitting 

 closely on the neck at the back, of very smooth 

 texture, and deeply and evenly serrated. Face : 

 Long and deep, as large as possible, of very smooth 

 texture, and free from wrinkles, rising well over the 

 eyes but not so as to interfere with the sight, and 

 joining the ear-lobes and wattles. Ear-lobes : Deep 

 and broad, well rounded at the bottom, extending 

 well below the wattles and meeting in front and 

 going well back on each side of the neck, of fine 

 texture and free from folds or creases. Wattles : 

 Very long, thin, and pendulous. 



Neck. — Long and fine, wth abundant hackle 

 flowing well on to the shoulders. 



Body. — Rather long, fairly broad in front, and 

 tapering to the rear. Breast : Full at the neck and 

 gradually decreasing towards the tliighs. Back : 

 Slanting downwards to the tail. Wings : Short, and 

 carried closely to the body. 



Tail. — Full, not carried too high, and with the 

 sickles large and well curved. 



Legs and Feet. — Legs : Rather long and slim. 

 Toes : Four on each foot, slender, and straight. 



Carriage. — Upright, with proud action. 



Weight. — 7 lb. 



Plumage. — Short and close. 



Except that the Comb falls gracefully over to 

 either side of the face, the general characteristics 

 of the hen are similar to those of the cock, allowing 

 for the natural sexual differences. 



Weight.— 6 lb. 



COLOUR 



Beak : Dark horn. Eyes : Black. Comb and ' 

 Wattles : Bright red. Face and Ear-lobes : White. 

 Legs and Feet : Pale slate. 



Plumage. — Black, with a beetle-green sheen, and 

 free of purple bars. 



Serious defects : Blue, pink, or red in face or 

 lobes ; coarse " cauliflower " face or lobes ; cock's 

 comb not erect ; side sprigs on comb ; lobes pointed 

 at the bottom ; wry or squirrel tail ; black or dark 

 coloured legs and feet. 



