rEIZZLBD POWLS.] 



POTJLTET. 



[scotch BA.KIE3. 



Some of the hens would submit to be placed | 

 on a nest of eggs that might happen to be 

 found in the park, and took to them directly, 

 hatching them off without further trouble. 

 They were, of course, so posted as to make her 

 sit at once. These silk fowls were of the kind 

 sometimes called Hong-Kong Bantams — small, 

 short-legged, and but slightly furnished with 

 wings and tail, and, in the eyes of some be- 

 holders, very pretty. People condemn a thing 

 seen in a dealer's cage, or an exhibition pen, 

 which they would delight in if they made its 

 acquaintance at a country mansion. Still silk 

 fowls are not slww birds, and find but little 

 favour at Birmingham. But till the Cochin- 

 China epidemic had a little subsided (and the 

 remedy of bleeding the purse was boldly prac- 

 tised on patients in an advanced stage of the 

 complaiiil), the phoenix itself was 'pooh- 

 pooh'd' into the background. There are silky 

 fowls with black skins ; and they make a near 

 approach to negroes." 



Of the jN'egro fowl, Mr. E. L. Layard, bro- 

 ther of the distinguished Ninevite discoverer, 

 thus writes from Jafira, Ceylon : — " The kallu- 

 mas-JcuTcullo of the natives is, as the name 

 implies, a fowl with llach flesh ; its bones are 

 also black ; and, on table, it is a revolting-looking 

 dish. But taste it! No other fowl, in this 

 country, can compare with it for juiciness and 

 tenderness. I never saw this fowl in England ; 

 here it is abundant. The prevailing colour of 

 the hue breed resembles a white fowl drawn 

 several times through a sooty chimney ! The 

 skin, the eye-wattles, legs— in fact, all flesliy 

 parts bearing the same leaden hues. It is 

 little eaten by the Europeans, on account of its 

 colour. I am, however, glad to get it on my 

 table; and always esteem it (knowing, from 

 experience, its good qualities) as one of my 

 most favoured dishes." 



The Erizzled fowl— so called from the friz- 

 zled and crisped appearance of the feathers, 

 and not from a corruption of Eriesland, at one 

 time erroneously conceived to be its native 

 country— varies as much in colour as the 

 Eumpless fowl, and is quite as striking to an 

 unaccustomed beholder. The natives of Ceylon, 

 where it is occasionally seen, say that it origi- 

 nally came from Batavia. Tiiis agrees with 

 Temminck. It is susceptible of cold, diiEcult 

 to rear, and mainly prized as a curiositv. 



BOLTON GREYS, CREELS, CHITTEPRATS, Etc. 



Forjudging these fowls, the following points 

 are suggested as a basis : — 



Dutch Pencilled Fowl (Gold or Silver). 

 The Cock. 



Head. — Best double rose comb, best square in 

 front, most erect, and best spiked on the top and 

 behind. — Wattles full and round. — Ears largest 

 and best white. 



Neck. — Clearest and best white. 



Breast. — Largest, clearest, and best white. 



Hump. — Largest and best clear green, black spot 

 on the end of the feather, and clearest white 

 ground. 



Wing (in four parts). — 1. Shoulder. 2. The Bars 

 — The clearest white ground ; best and clearest 

 edging to upper and lower Aving-coverts, forming 

 two distinct black bars on the clearest white 

 ground. 3. Flight — Clearest and best white. 

 4. Lacing on top of wing above the flight; i.e., 

 the inner webs of secondary flight-feathers : 

 largest and best clear green-black spots on the 

 end of the feather, and the clearest white ground. 



Tail. — Best brown, v/aved witli black; best and 

 clearest silver edging, dotted with clearest and 

 best black spots. 



Legs. — Clearest and best blue. 



Tiir: Hen. 



Head. — The Comb — Best double rose comb, best 



square in front, most erect, and best spiked 



behind. — Wattles full and round. — The ears 



largest and best white. 

 Nech. — Clearest and best white. 

 Breast. — Largest and clearest white, each feather 



ended with clearest black spots, increasing in 



size, proportionate to feathers. 

 Bacli. — Clearest white, crossed with clearest black 



bars, separated by white shaft. 

 Thighs. — Clearest white, with largest and clearest 



black s])ots. 

 Rump. — Clearest white. 

 JVing. — Clearest white, crossed with most distinct 



and clearest black lines. 

 Flight- — Clearest white, crossed with clearest wavy 



black lines. 

 Tail. — Clearest white, crossed with broadest and 



clearest black bars ; shaft white. 

 Legs. — Clearest and best blue. 



(Golden). 



Markings and characteristics the same, on a bay 



ground. 



SCOTCH BAKIES, OR DUMPIES. 



" Of this variety," say the authors of the 

 Poulinj Booh, " Mr. Fairlie, of Cheveley Park, 

 near Newmarket, the only person, we believe, 

 into whose hands they have yet passed, has 

 recorded so favourable an opinion of their. 

 merits as layers and mothers, no less than for 



