208 THE SPANISH FOWL. 



the autumn and continue mostly through the winter; and their 

 old Hens would commence in the spring." 



" I have had Hens laying every day, but never wish them 

 to continue the practice, as, nine times -out of ten, they suffer 

 afterwards." H. H. 



It is doubtful whether they are even yet thoroughly ac- 

 climatized, for continued frost at any time much injures their 

 combs ; frequently causing mortification in the end, which has 

 terminated in death. A warm poultry -house, high feeding, 

 and care that the birds do not remain too long exposed to severe 

 weather, are the best means of preventing this disfigurement. 



Some birds are occasionally produced, handsomely streaked 

 with red on the hackle and back. This is no proof of bad 

 breeding, if other points are right. On the contrary, it is, as 

 near as may be, the sort which Columella's relation might have 

 kept in Spain,* at the time when he was improving the native 

 sheep by the importation of rams from Morocco, eighteen hun- 

 dred years ago. 



The Chicks are large, as would be expected from such Eggs, 

 entirely shining black, except a pinafore of white on the breast, f 

 and a slight sprinkling under the chin, with sometimes also a 

 little white round the beak and eyes; legs and feet black. 

 Many of them do not get perfectly feathered till they are three 

 parts grown ; and therefore, to have these birds come to per- 

 fection in this country, where the summers are so much shorter 

 than in their native climate, it is necessary to have them 

 hatched early in spring, so that they may get well covered 

 with plumage before the cold rains of autumn. But, as Mr. 

 Bissell observes, " there is any thing but an uniformity in the 

 time Spanish Chickens get their plumage ; the Pullets are al- 



* " M. Columella patruus meus, acris vir ingenii, atque illustria 

 agricola." Lib. vii. c. 2. 



f- In this particular the Spanish Chicks are precisely like the 

 Black Polish Chicks. ED. 



