276 THE POLAND, OR POLISH FOWL. 



calls Padua Fowls, but in which we recognise what would now 

 be called Polands." 



This is his description : 



" There exist Cocks for the most part larger than our own, 

 which the common people call Paduan, even as such Hens are 

 larger than our own Hens. We exhibit the likeness of the 

 male and female. The male was iqpst beautiful to behold, 

 highly decorated with five colours, namely, black, white, green, 

 red, and ochre. For the whole body was black. The neck 

 was covered with very white feathers. But the wings and 

 the back consisted partly of black, and partly of green. The 

 tail likewise was of the same colour, but the roots of the 

 feathers were whitish.* Some of the quill feathers (?) 

 [' remigibus'~\ were white above. Its head was adorned with 

 a very handsome crest ; but the roots of the crest were white. 

 A red spot encircled the eyes. The comb was very small ; 

 the bill and feet yellowish. But in the whole Hen there was 

 not the least white, except that white skin which is usual 

 about the openings of the ears ; but she was altogether black, 

 shining with green. The feet were light yellow ; the comb 

 very small, and scarcely of a red-colour." 



A difficulty about such varieties, recorded so long ago, is the 

 doubt whether the Cock and Hen were really of the same breed. 



The Paduan Fowl has been continually mentioned as some- 

 thing distinct and primitive, by those who have quoted Aldro- 

 vandi at second hand; but we will, for the present, discard the 

 term, and sweep the birds into the class of Polands. Whether 

 the Polish Fowls were really first brought to us from Poland, I 

 cannot yet trace; but the fact is quite possible. Fowls brought 

 alive from India to Europe by overland journey, would suffer 



* An abundance of 'white down at the root of the tail-feathers is a 

 great ornament in the Black Polish and Game Cocks, and a mark of 

 breeding. 



