212 THE SPANISH FOWL. 



duces a particularly handsome Fowl, and probably very much 

 resembling the old Hispanic type. 



A Black Spanish Cock has been taught to visit the sill of 

 his master's bed-room window every morning, and continue 

 crowing till he was rewarded with a piece of bread. 



Mr. Barber subsequently adds, " The tufted Fowls I had 

 from Spain have not proved such good layers as the speckled 

 single-combed. I have kept a correct account this season 

 (1848) of the number of Eggs I have had from them, and it 

 amounts to above fourteen hundred, and they are still (Sept. 

 llth) laying. I began the season with twenty-three Hens. 

 One has reared a brood of Chickens. Two died early in the 

 season. This is a much larger number than I have ever had 

 from any of the BlacJc, Spanish I have kept. There is one 

 great imperfection in these Fowls, which I think it right to 

 mention, and that is, I have lost nine from laying, or rather, 

 attempting to lay, soft Eggs, and they have all been Hens 

 which laid the largest Eggs. However, lam inclined to think 

 this is in a great measure owing to the confined space in which 

 they are kept." There is no doubt of it, and that the evil 

 would cease were the Hens indulged with a more extended 

 range, where they could help themselves to chalky earth, lime- 

 rubbish, and other natural medicines that are perhaps unsus- 

 pected by us. Nor have towns people an idea of the intense 

 longing which their Fowls feel for any thing green, such as 

 cabbage-leaves, turnip tops, and so on. The thousand-headed 

 cabbage is very serviceable for them ; and those who have only 

 a small garden can provide some supply of green food for their 

 poultry, by having the edgings of parsley, instead of box, or 

 thrift. The Fowls are very fond of it, as a variation from 

 cabbage-leaves. 



We cannot too much insist upon the value of early Pullets 

 for laying purposes in the autumn and winter after they are 

 hatched. No Fowls can surpass the Spanish in this respect. 



