THE SPANISH FOWL. 207 



droops over on one side. Their most singular feature is a 

 large white patch, or ear-lobe, an the cheek, which in some 

 specimens extends over great part of the face, of a fleshy sub- 

 stance, similar to the wattle ; it is small in the Hens, but large 

 and very conspicuous in the Cocks. This marked contrast of 

 black, bright red, and white, makes the head of the Spanish 

 Cock as handsome as that of any variety we have ; and in the 

 genuine breed the whole form is equally good : but the scraggy, 

 long-legged, misshapen mongrels one often sees in the poorer quar- 

 ters of a town, are enough to throw discredit on the whole race. 



Spanish Hens are celebrated as good layers, and produce very 

 large, quite white Eggs, of a peculiar shape, being very thick 

 at both en,ds, and yet tapering off a little at each. They are, 

 by no means, good mothers of families, even when they do sit, 

 which they will not often condescend to do, proving very care- 

 less, and frequently trampling half their brood under foot. 

 But the inconveniences of this habit are easily obviated by 

 causing the Eggs to be hatched by some more motherly Hen. 



It has been noticed that this variety of Fowl frequently 

 loses nearly all the feathers on the body, besides the usual 

 quantity on ihe neck, wings, and tail ; and, if they moult late, 

 and the weather is severe, they feel it much. Nothing else 

 can reasonably be expected to take place with an " everlasting 

 layer." It often happens to the Guinea Fowl; and the reason 

 of it is plain. If the system of a bird is exhausted by the un- 

 remitting production of Eggs, it cannot contain within itself 

 the wherewithal to supply the growth of feathers. The stream 

 that will fill but one channel, cannot be made to keep two at 

 high-water mark; and therefore Mr. Leonard Barber justly 

 observes, " With regard to an anxiety about their constant 

 laying, in my opinion, nature ought not to be forced, as it re- 

 quires a rest. But some people think it cannot be right if 

 their Hens do not lay every day; and I would advise such to 

 have some early spring Chickens, which would begin laying in 



