470 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



Mediterranean, and were It not for the colour of 

 the legs many would think they were Leghorns, 

 though they are somewhat longer in body. Few 

 would imagine that they were so fine for table 

 qualities, and from the appearance it might be 

 assumed that they would be distinctly better 

 as layers. The cock is elegant in carriage, 

 shapely, and active ; the head is medium in size, 

 and fine in its lines ; the beak is strong and of a 

 horn colour ; the eyes are lively and bright ; the 

 comb is single, and of the largest size, though 

 not nearly so large as in the English Leghorn ; 

 the comb is upright and well cut ; the wattles 

 are long ; the ear-lobes white and well defined ; 

 the neck is medium in length, inclining rather to 

 be long, and is well covered with hackles; the 

 back slopes gently towards the tail ; the breast 

 is round, rather prominent, and the thighs some- 

 what strong, but the legs and feet are fine in 

 bone, indicative of slightness of frame through- 

 out, which is one of the features of this breed ; 

 the legs and feet are of a slate grey colour, with 

 black nails ; the tail is well furnished, though 

 the sickles are not very long. In the hens the 

 comb falls to one side. 



" There are three varieties of this race — 

 Black, called La Bresse de Loitlians ; Grey, called 

 La Bresse de Bourg ; and White, called La Bresse 

 de Beny-Marboz. In the Bresse district the 

 Blacks are usually regarded as the better layers, 

 but the Whites are preferred for table purposes. 

 The black variety is very pretty, showing those 

 metallic reflections which always add to the 

 beauty of birds of this colour. In the grey 

 variety the plumage is white pencilled with 

 grey, the neck hackle being almost entirely 

 white, except that the points are grey. In this 

 case the beak is blue and the legs clear grey. 

 In the white variety the plumage is, of course, 

 self-coloured and the legs dark grey. Whites 

 and blacks are more numerous than the greys. 



" In Paris, as well as other parts of France, 

 in Italy and Switzerland, at the best hotels 

 Ponies de la Bresse arc found on the menus. The 

 prices of these birds for table purposes are very 

 high. I have been asked as much as twenty 

 francs for a fat poularde in the Bourg market, 

 and they command still higher figures in Paris. 

 Part of their value arises, however, from the 

 system of fattening which is carried out in these 

 districts, and there can be no question that for 

 delicacy of flesh they have no superior. The 

 lightness of bone is, of course, a very great recom- 

 mendation, and the breed is specially remarkable 

 for the great increase of weight as a result of 

 fattening. But they are valued for their quality 

 rather than for their size, which is not great, 

 being less than some of the largest English 



Leghorns ; few of the males when in working 

 condition scale at more than 6 lbs. 



" As egg-producers they hold a very import- 

 ant place in France, and I have frequently been 

 told in the La Bresse country that there is no 

 breed which touches them in this respect. This 

 to a large extent confirms my own observations, 

 as I kept white La Bresse for several years, 

 and found them amongst the best layers of 

 any breed. They are not, however, exceptionally 

 good in the winter, and this might be anticipated 

 from their appearance. The eggs are white and 

 of good size, as a rule weighing upwards of 2 ozs. 



" The Du Mans fowl is bred to a considerable 

 extent in the Department of La Sarthe, but it is 

 entirely kept for its economic qualities. It has 



never attained to any great popu- 

 Du Mans. larity in France, other than in the 



district of South Normandy which 

 gives it a name, where it is met with largely, 

 and whence quantities of these birds are sent 

 up to the Paris markets. In appearance it is 

 very similar in many respects to the La Fleche, 

 except that it has a less upright appearance, and 

 the head is different. Instead of the horned 

 comb which is so characteristic of the La Fleche, 

 it has a rose comb, and I have seen this comb 

 rather coarse. It is entirely black in plumage, 

 except that the small ear-feathers are frequently 

 white or almost white ; the ear-lobes are white 

 like the La Fleche. Even at the great Paris 

 exhibitions this breed is not much in evidence, 

 and probably owes its popularity more to the 

 skill of the fatteners in the valley of La Sarthe 

 than to its own qualities. It is, however, a quick 

 grower, and when fully grown the weight of bone 

 and offal is small as compared with the total 

 size of body. Some years ago when at Le Mans, 

 I learnt that large numbers of this breed are 

 sent to countries as far away as Russia, and 

 command high prices. It has fine, delicate flesh, 

 and fattens easily, and is an abundant layer. 



" The Courtes-Pattes is not unknown in this 

 country, though it has never become popular, 

 and the appearance is distinctly against it. It 



would appear to be in some way 

 Courtes- related to the La Fleche and the 



Pattea. j)u Mans varieties, emanating from 



the same district of France, but it is 

 smaller in body, and the legs are very short 

 indeed. Except in exhibitions, I have very 

 seldom seen specimens of this breed in France, 

 and visits to the La Sarthe district revealed to 

 me that it was more in the hands of dealers and 

 amateurs than bred as an economic fowl. It is 

 entirely black in plumage, with metallic reflec- 



