STOCK.] 



POULTEY. 



[stock. 



varieties have it ; and we cannot recollect ever 

 having seen it on an uncreated fowl. Whiskers 

 need hardly be minutely described. In poultry, 

 they consist of tufts of feathers standing out 

 from the cheeks. There used to be a kind of 

 fowl, called the Eussian fowl, in which they 

 ■were the chief characteristic ; and they are also 

 seen in some kinds of Polands. 



The wing of a fowl is divided into various 

 parts. The primary quill or flight-feathers are 

 those which grow on the last joint of the wing. 

 They are ten in number, are the main instru- 

 ments of flight, and those which we conse- 

 quently shorten, to destroy the balance of 

 power, when we wish to check the licentious 

 wanderings of my lord or my lady. The 

 secondary quills grow on the next joint of 

 the wing, are shorter than the primary, and 

 are those which are most seen when the wing 

 of the fowl is closed. We believe there are 

 thirteen of these. The wing of a bird, in its 

 skeleton, has been not inaptly compared to the 

 skeleton of the human hand. The joint, repre- 

 senting the thumb, is set with three additional 

 smaller quill feathers, which lie down over the 

 first few primaries in an uncommonly neat 

 arrangement. In the Hamburgs, the spots 

 or spangles on the secondary quills, and those 

 on the first range of the greater wing-coverts, 

 form the bars so much insisted on by judges. 

 The greater wing- coverts are the first few 

 ranges of feathers which lie in order over the 

 quills ; and the lesser wing-coverts are the 

 feathers of smaller size and softer texture, 

 which finish up the wing, and pass round its 

 edge so neatly. The under side of the wing is 

 covered with soft feathers, also arranged in 

 beautiful order. 



Legs (familiarly, the shanks — learnedly, the 

 tarsi — the part between the knee-joint and the 

 foot) may be clean (or, in other words, with- 

 out feathers), feathered (with a stripe of fea- 

 thers down the outside), or booted (entirely 

 covered with feathers). Sultans, or Serai 

 Tii-ooks, Ptarmigans, and some Bantams, are 

 booted. Shaughaes, Brahmas, Ghoon Docks, 

 and two or three other kinds, are feather- 

 legged. Spanish, Dorkings, Game Fowls, 

 Hamburgs, and most Polands, Sebrights, and 

 black and white Bantams, are clean or plain 

 legged. Some feather-legged and booted fowls 

 are abundantly feathered on the feet also. 

 8U 



Vulture or falcon hocks are tufts of long 

 feathers, standing out from the hocks. 



The tail-feathers are the fourteen stiif ones 

 of the tail. The tail-coverts are the softer 

 curling feathers which hang over these. We 

 believe there are, properly, only two (the 

 centre two) sickle feathers, which are really tail- 

 feathers ; the others are tail-covert feathers. 



Dubbing — generally, only applied to game- 

 cocks — is cutting off" the comb and wattles. 



We may mention, that Spanish fowls are, 

 perhaps, the most profitable to keep, provided 

 the owner is lucky enough to have some that 

 may turn out very excellent ; but there is un- 

 certainty in this, as fowls breed somewhat at 

 random. There is great difficulty in getting first- 

 rate Spanish fowls, even at a very high price ; 

 and there is no certainty that first-rate fowls will 

 produce first-rate chickens. The latter are, 

 besides, delicate to rear, the handsomest being 

 generally the most tender. If you stoop to 

 the now vulgar consideration of the merely 

 useful — eggs and fowls for eating — there is no 

 particular fault to be found with Spanish fowls 

 for the table (especially pullets) : they lay a 

 respectable number of the finest eggs which 

 the poultry -yard can produce; and, as to ap- 

 pearance, a little lot of Spanish fowls, in high 

 condition, is no contemptible ornament to the 

 pleasure-ground of a nobleman. High condi- 

 tion is that state of exuberant health which 

 will make almost any fowl handsome and orna- 

 mental. It shows itself in the clear beaming 

 eye, and the ruddy comb (according to the time 

 of year); a feeling in the flesh, firm yet pliant ; a 

 good covering of meat upon the bones, but not 

 too much fat; and last, not least, crispness 

 and resplendence in the plumage — over which 

 the bird, in fine condition, has as complete con- 

 trol as he has over his other limbs. When a 

 bird is out of condition, tbe eye looks dull, the 

 flesh is pufty, hard, or absent without leave, 

 and the plumage entirely without gloss. You 

 could not draw a feather without tearing the 

 fevered skin. We speak now of condition, 

 because it is a thing especially to be observed, 

 if you buy Spanish fowls or chickens. With- 

 out attention to this, the smart new hen-bouse 

 may soon be empty again ; and perhaps you 

 will blame the species, when you should find 

 fault with your ill-conditioned purchase. To 

 know the points of a Spanish fowl, study what 



