CHAP. III.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 75 



bad sitters ; and as the fibre of the flesh is 

 rather coarse and the colour dark, they are 

 not held in much esteem by the poulterer. 

 They are, however, not unfrequently used 

 with other fowls for crossing : which, by the 

 bye, is no bad plan, as the produce will be 

 thereby probably improved in flesh ; while 

 bad sitters and good layers, when coupled 

 together, will thus generally bring forth hens 

 actually good for both purposes. The prac- 

 tice is indeed so common, that fowls are 

 now constantly bred from these crosses, and 

 when partaking largely of the prominent 

 features of the Malay, are very gene- 

 rally called by that name. The plumage 

 of the hen breed is nearly black, streaked 

 with brown and yellow, and the crow of 

 the cock is more harsh than that of other 

 fowls. 



Another very large breed, bearing a great 

 resemblance in appearance to the Malays, 

 but producing much finer flesh, is the Polish, 

 or Spanish ; which, although one might sup- 

 pose them as widely different in nature as 

 in country, are yet nearly similar in form 

 and habits. They are thought by many per- 



