312 THE LARK-CRESTED FOWL. 



golden tint ; the tail black and flowing, with a brilliant green 

 shade. The Cock is thus a most gorgeous looking fellow, of 

 a strong muscular frame, without offal; his legs are blue. 

 The Hen is marked in the same manner, all over the back and 

 body, with the hackle of the same golden colour. The Chicks, 

 when first hatched, are of a reddish brown, but with no par- 

 ticular distinctive markings : this I have only from hearsay, 

 from the man who keeps them for us, and who has been a 

 breeder of the variety for many years." F. S. B. 



There is also a Blue Dun, which resembles the Hamburghs 

 in every particular except in colour, and a disposition to sit, 

 which makes them more useful to the farmer, who must, if he 

 keep but one variety, have Fowls which will rear their own 

 young, which none of the Hamburghs will do. Mr. Bissell 

 says "These are very fine noble-looking birds, and as useful 

 as they are beautiful ; and they have, to my knowledge, per- 

 manently bred without at all 'crving back* or running out, for 

 some years." 



THE LARK-CRESTED FOWL. 



HERE, again, as with the Cuckoo Fowl, is a breed that has 

 been treated with undeserved disregard. Many London dealers 

 might call them Polanders, and indeed many ill-bred Polands 

 have crests inferior to some of these in size. But the shape 

 of the crest, as well as the proportions of the bird, are different. 

 Aldrovandi perceived the distinction. He calls the one " Our 

 farm-yard Hen, known to everybody, entirely white, and 

 crested like a Lark :" the other is his Paduan Fowl. The 

 first, of whatever colour, is of a peculiar taper-form, inclining 

 forwards, as Aldrovandi's old-fashioned wood-cut well repre- 

 sents, with a moderate, depressed, backward-directed crest, and 



