THE POLISn FOWL.] 



POTJLTET 



[the polish fowl. 



A person writing to a sporting paper, says 

 that he has seen a perfectly wliite Spanish 

 hen which had once been entirely black ; and 

 inquires if such a thing is not very uncommon, 

 and if any of his readers can account for such 

 change ; it had not the plea of cold, like the 

 ptarmigan and mountain hare. We have 

 heard of several instances of a black Spanish 

 fowl becoming a white bird ; and recollect one 

 exhibited at a poultry show as a white Spanish 

 fowl, which we were told had undergone this 

 curious change. 



In forming a judgment of the excellences 

 of the Spanish fowl, the following are the 

 points to be looked at : — 



The Cock. 

 Head. — Comb erect, serrated, surface waxy, free 

 from side sprigs or warts ; not too high; face 

 pure opaque white, as well over the eye as the 

 cheek, separated from the comb by a distinct 

 line of black feathers ; ear-lobe pure white, free 

 from pink or bkie tints, and very large, meeting 

 under the wattles ; eyes orange ; beak blackish 

 horn colour; wattles long and pendulous; all 

 the body black, brilliantly glossed ; legs black. 



The Hen. 



To match ; distinctive marks the same, except in 



the comb, which should fall over on one side. 



THE POLISH FOWL. 



I'olisJi fowls, have a top-knot of feathers in- 

 stead of a fleshy comb. They are generally non- 

 sitters ; lay medium-sized eggs ; are of middle 

 weights, and great favourites with the epicure. 

 "Why these birds are called Polish, or Poland, 

 we are unable to say, as there is no evidence 

 of which we are aware, to show that they origi- 

 nally were imported from Poland. They are 

 birds which frequently exhibit great courage, 

 whilst their beauty is unquestionably very con- 

 siderable, although that property has, in one 

 point at least, formed a subject of dispitte. 

 This point is the beard ; but the best way of 

 determining the merits of this appendage of 

 the head, is by making both bearded and un- 

 bearded specimens equally eligible to prizes. 

 There is now only one class for bearded or 

 unbearded Polish of each colour— the same 

 applying, in this case, as in Dorkings. 



The impression, however, is, with many, that 

 the ruffs, or beards, should be taken as one 

 point in favour of the birds which are adorned 

 with that appendage. Mr. Wright's opinion 

 is, that the bearded fowl will, in every case, be 

 822 



found to be the best in all respects. It is 

 quite true, that while the unbearded varieties 

 have greater delicacy of form and plumage, the 

 bearded are endowed with considerably more 

 constitutional vigour. 



" The favourite varieties of Polish fowls, are 

 the Black, with white crests ; the Golden 

 Spangled, and the Silver Spangled. The Golden 

 Spangled is of no ordinary beauty ; it is well 

 and very neatly made ; has a good body, and 

 no very great offal. On the crest, immediately 

 above the beak, are two small fioshy horns, re- 

 sembling, to some extent, an abortive comb. 

 The wattles are small ; the hackles on the neck 

 are of a brilliant orange, or golden yellow ; and 

 the general ground-colour of the body is of the 

 same hue, but somewhat darker. The thighs 

 are of a dark brown, or blackish shade, and the 

 legs and feet are of a bluish grey. The full- 

 grown cock weighs about six pounds, and the 

 hen five-and-a-half pounds ; the eggs moderate 

 in size, and very abundant. In the Silver 

 Spangled varieties, the principal difference is, 

 that the ground-colour is a silvery white. But 

 the spangles themselves have been the subject 

 of serious feud ; and the Birmingham list now 

 discreetly contents itself with calling them 

 Golden and Silver Poland ; which it has the 

 greater right to do, inasmuch as the degree of 

 disposition of the markings is not so rigidly 

 laid down for Polish as for Hamburgh fowls. 

 Besides these, there are pure white Polands, 

 entire dun-coloured Polands, and other com- 

 binations of hues. A much-desired variety — 

 white, with black top-knot — like the common 

 cuckoo, * tuneful bird, seldom seen, but often 

 heard' of — is to be met with in every Poultry- 

 book, and would make the fortune of any one 

 who could produce a pair or two alive." 



In England, these fowls are esteemed rather 

 a fancier's than a farmer's stock. Their non- 

 sitting disqualification renders them unsuitable 

 for agricultural purposes ; but their flesh is of 

 the very highest excellence. They are reared 

 in Egypt, in immense numbers, the practice of 

 artificial hatching supplying the constitutional 

 defect of the birds. A vast number of Polish 

 fowls are bred in the department of Calvados, 

 in France, especially in the neighbourhood of 

 Caen, whence they are brought to Le Havre 

 by various conveyances, for the supply both of 

 the town and the shipping. No care is taken 



