THE LARK-CRESTED FOWL. 313 



deficient in the neatness of the legs and feet so conspicuous in 

 the Polands ; the latter are of more upright carriage and more 

 squarely built frame. Set the two side by side, and their dis- 

 crepancy will be apparent. I would distinguish the Lark- 

 crested from the Polish l^owls, by the former having an occipi- 

 tal crest, the latter more of a frontal one. Mr. Selby's volume 

 on Pigeons, in the Naturalist's Library, gives a figure and de- 

 spription of the Columba dilopha, or Double-crested Pigeon, 

 which has both these forms of top-knots united on its head. 



Lark-crested Fowls are of various colours ; pure snow-white, 

 brown with yellow hackle, and black. How far these sorts 

 required to be subdivided, has not yet been investigated. The 

 first of these are perhaps of a more brilliant white than is seen in 

 any other domesticated gallinaceous bird. The colour is much 

 more dazzling than that of the White Guinea Fowl, or the 

 White Pea Fowl. This white variety is in great esteem with 

 many farmers' wives, who will keep it, to the entire ex- 

 clusion of any sort. They certainly have a remarkably neat 

 and lively appearance when rambling about . a homestead. 

 They look very clean and attractive when dressed for market : 

 an old bird, cleverly trussed, will be apparently as delicate and 

 transparant in the skin and flesh as an ordinary chicken. 

 The feathers are also more saleable than those from darker 

 coloured Fowls. My own experience leads to the suspicion 

 that if they are a little more tender than other kinds raised 

 near the barn-door, it is only a little } and I must think them 

 to be in every way preferable to the 'White Dorkings. In the 

 Cocks a single upright comb sometimes almost entirely takes 

 the place of the crest. The Hens, too, vary in their degree of 

 crestedness, some not having above half a dozen of feathers 

 in their head-dress. If they were not of average merit as to 

 their laying and sitting qualifications, they would not retain 

 the favour they do with the thrifty housewives by whom they 

 are chiefly cultivated. 



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