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DOMESTIC FOWLS. 



in carriage he should be free and spirited, and in general properties 

 he should have a rose comb, full hackles, and full- feathered tail, and 

 his legs quite clean, bright in colour, and wholly free from feathers ; 

 in weight he must not exceed a pound. The hens must be small, 

 and correspond in plumage with the cock, and like him be clean- 

 legged. Such is considered a genuine fancy bird. Those which are 

 called after Sir John Seabright are another beautiful variety, and 

 there are a third variety, which are spotted and streaked like a 

 partridge, while the hens lay pheasant-coloured eggs. 



POLISH FOWLS 



are of a brilliant black colour, with white toppings on their heads, 

 which are flat and surmounted with a fleshy appendage, from which 

 the crown- feathers spring. They are more trouble than common 

 fowls, more subject to disease, and require more warmth. Their top- 

 knots require clipping, or they fall down if allowed to grow too long, 

 and prevent the birds from seeing. 



MALAY FOWLS, 



generally called Chittagong, are an Indian variety ; large in size, 

 in colour yellow streaked and dark brown, have long necks, are 

 small-headed, and stand high on the legs. The hens, if well fed, lay 

 immense eggs. 



SPANISH FOWLS. 



Every boy knows these beautiful birds, with their black plumage, 

 loose comb often hanging gracefully down. For gaudy colouring, 

 the gold and silver-spangled bear the palm ; but they are not pure 

 Spanish, and have been mixed with the Polish fowls, though when 

 fine they are considered of great value. Spanish hens, though they 

 lay large eggs, seldom sit well. 



PERSIAN FOWLS. 



These lay well, but are nothing to look at, having no tails, and 

 looking like poultry in boy's jackets, and never to be honoured with 

 a lappel coat. They are ugly enough to be eaten. 



COCHIN-CHINA FOWLS. 



These are. monster birds, the cock often reaching the height of 

 two feet, and the hen only some four or five inches under that 

 standard. The buff and cinnamon- coloured are the greatest favou- 

 rites, though the white ones at times realize immense prices. There 

 was quite a rage for keeping these birds some few years ago, which 

 of late has much abated, as every "nobody" took to rearing Cochin- 

 Chinas, and many a curse did they call forth in the night in drowsy- 

 headed neighbourhoods, as no one could get any sleep for their 

 dreadful crowing, as they do not crow in English, but in the Chinese 

 tongue, and their crowing sounds like something between the cross of 

 a shriek and a whistle, such as Commissioner Yeh gave when seized 

 by his pigtail. 



