486 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



UNCLASSED BREEDS OF POULTRY. 



THERE are several fairly old and well- 

 known breeds which can hardly be 

 classed under any definite heading ; and 

 others less known, which it is also desirable 

 to gather together in such a chapter as this. 

 Most exhibitions have, besides classes for the 

 usual breeds, one for "Any Other Variety," 

 which has in its time done yeoman service to 

 the poultry world. Brahmas and French fowls 

 made their earlier appearances in it, till strong 

 enough to claim classes of their own ; it is to 

 be regretted that the converse is now the case, 

 and that such old and once popular breeds as 

 Spanish and Polish too often lately have found 

 their only chance of a prize in this refuge for 

 the destitute. 



Such facts suggest that the " Any Other 

 Variety" class ought to have more careful 

 attention than it often receives. And especially 

 it is desirable, now that really old standard 

 breeds so often invade it, to provide prizes for 

 a greater number of varieties in the class. To 

 add to prizes is the obvious remedy ; but where 

 funds forbid that, we can but repeat an old 

 suggestion, that in this one case it is desirable 

 to depart from the single-bird system, and in 

 place of three prizes each for males and females, 

 to offer two firsts, two seconds, and two thirds 

 ioT pairs. More breeds would then have chance 

 of recognition. 



In the paragraphs which follow we have 

 placed earlier varieties or breeds most worthy of 

 consideration alphabetically, tlien the recently 

 introduced Lakenvelders and Sumatras, and col- 

 lected those of minor interest together at the close. 



ALBIONS. 

 This useful variety of fowls was originated 

 in the county of Sussex, Mr. Godfrey Shaw, 

 of Scaynes Hill, near Haywards Heath, having, 

 we believe, bred the first pen of them about 

 the year 1S97. They were produced, as stated 

 in a former chapter, by selecting and breed- 

 ing together the whitest of the Sussex farm- 

 yard stock, and, of course, much false colour 

 had to be bred out of the earlier produce. 

 Classes were provided for them at several 

 shows, and some of the birds which appeared 



in them showed traces of the White Plymouth 

 Rock, in a coarser and somewhat flat head, 

 and coarser skin. This might possibly come 

 from Rock blood already absorbed in local 

 stock ; but if real attempt be made to cultivate 

 such a breed, it is highly desirable that the blood 

 should be confined to that Susse.x type which 

 has proved so well adapted for useful purposes. 



The Albion may be described briefly as an 

 all-white fowl, excepting the head points. It 

 should have white beak, white legs, clear white 

 plumage. A great point is and should be, 

 smallness of bone, and some closeness of 

 feather, no apparent size being lost in fluff. In 

 weight it is about the same as Rocks and 

 Orpingtons, all the really market breeds tending 

 to nearly the same average weight. The shape 

 should be rather long, somewhat resembling the 

 Dorking, or American type of Rock. The bird 

 might be described as equivalent to a small- 

 boned white Dorking, without the fifth toe or 

 the difficulty of a rose comb, but it is doubtful 

 if it becomes popular as a fancier's fowl — few 

 white breeds are, for obvious reasons. 



Both Mr. Shaw and Mr. Richardson, who 

 has also shown Albions, report the birds as good 

 layers of fair-sized tinted eggs, hardy, maturing 

 fast as chickens, and easily reared in any 

 weather, even on clay land. At ten to fourteen 

 weeks they are ready to go in the fattening pens, 

 and the white plumage makes the carcase speci- 

 ally attractive at the season when pin-feather 

 abounds on the skin, whilst the feathers are also 

 worth much more per lb. to sell to manufacturers. 



As stated on pp. 298-g, the powerful 

 Orpington interest quickly appropriated this 

 breed as white Orpmgtons, and this note is 

 now of historical interest only. 



FRIZZLED FOWLS 

 The characteristic of these birds is that each 

 feather is curled back, as if they had been 

 stroked the wrong way, leaving the curl perma- 

 nent. The tail feathers cannot, of course, be 

 thus curled, but the webs are also peculiarly 

 fashioned, in a way difficult to describe. The 

 whole appearance is very grotesque and quaint ; 

 people differ as to whether it is attractive. 



