POULTRY. 475 



rose-comb, as has been described in the general characteristics of the Hamburg fowls. The 

 beak is blue, or horn-colored; the legs blue or slaty blue, and rather short. They are very 

 active, upright, and graceful in their carriage, and among the most beautiful of our domestic 

 fowls. Like all the Hamburg varieties, they are good layers of large white eggs, and non- 

 sitters. It should be remembered by those not familiar with this breed, that many spangled 

 Hamburg chicks are at first penciled in plumage, the spangles not making their appearance 

 until after the first moulting. 



Golden Spangled Hamburgs. The principal difference between this variety and 

 that just previously descriebd is in the ground color of the plumage, which, in this variety 

 is a rich, deep golden-bay, the markings being quite similar, viz., each feather terminating 

 with a distinct greenish-black spangle, round or moon-shaped, which should be quite large 

 and regular in form. The hackle and saddle are a deep reddish bay, approaching a golden 

 bay in color, with each feather distinctively striped down the middle with greenish black. 

 The tail-feathers are greenish -black, and quite lustrous in the cock. They are admirable 

 egg-producers: in proof of this we give the following experience of a breeder of this variety, 

 Mr. Thomas I. &quot;Weir, of Wilmington, Del.: 



&quot;I put together, March 1, 1876, two hens, three years old, and three pullets and a cock 

 nine months old. All had been laying seven or eight weeks, but I only had a record of one 

 of them to that date. I will here state that there was a difference in the shape of their eggs 

 that enabled me to distinguish each hen s eggs from the others; I therefore gave each hen 

 credit for what eggs she laid, and discovered that the young beat the old. All are now 

 moulting except Little Nell. She laid her first egg January 10, 1876, and fifteen during that 

 month; in February, twenty-two, March, twenty-four; April, twenty-six; May, twenty-seven; 

 June, twenty-six; July, twenty-seven ; August, twenty^ September, twenty-three; October, twenty, 

 and to November 10th, six, making in all two hundred and thirty-six eggs in ten months for one 

 hen. 



The five, including Little Nell, put together March 1st, laid, in six months, as follows: 

 March, one hundred and eight; April, one hundred and twenty-one; May, one hundred and 

 eighteen; August, one hundred and three; in six months, six hundred and seventy-four eggs 

 for five hens. In May one pullet laid twenty-eight eggs. My Hamburgs were bred from 

 imported stock.&quot; It will be seen by the above that hens of the Hamburg breed will lay well 

 the second and even third winters, though of course not generally equal to the pullets. 

 The cocks of this variety are slightly smaller in proportion to the hens than the other 

 varieties of this breed. 



Black Hamburgs. It is supposed that this variety is produced by a cross with the 

 black Spanish. They are slightly larger than other Hamburgs; cocks often weighing seven 

 .pounds, and the comb is also considerably larger. They, however, breed quite true to 

 color, which is a rich lustrous black throughout. The beak is dark or nearly black, and the 

 legs bluish-black. Their general form, symmetry, and points, are like the other Hamburg 

 varieties, whose characteristics have been given under the heading of Hamburgs. This 

 variety is said to produce larger eggs and more in number than the other Hamburgs, and are 

 also more hardy. 



White Hamburgs. This is the least common of the Hamburg fowls, the penciled 

 and spangled seeming to be the general favorites. They, however, possess the general traits 

 of the breed, and of course come in for their share of merit among the Hamburg families. 

 They are pure white throughout, and breed quite true to color. The beak and legs, as 

 formerly bred, were a flesh color, but an effort is now being made, and quite successfully, to 

 substitute the blue or leaden color for each, which has certainly resulted in a decided 

 improvement to their general appearance. In economic value they are considered about 

 equal in rank with other varieties of this breed. 



