VARIETIES OF DOMESTIC FOWL. 91 



spangles, like the cock. In the cock the thighs are black, and 

 are, likewise, though in a less degree, marked and spangled 

 with black and golden yellow. The hinder end of the body is 

 furnished with green and orange-brown hackles, and the tail is 

 carried well up. The flesh of these birds is of a good quality, 

 and they are very prolific. They also fatten quickly, and have, 

 by some, been compared to the Dorking, for similarity of flesh, 

 and other excellences of quality. I, however, must unequivo- 

 cally award the preference to the latter bird, independent of 

 the enhanced price occasioned by the far greater scarcity .of the 

 former." 



The fowl known in this country as the Golden Pheasant is a 

 hybrid, bred from the variety just described, and the Black 

 Polish fowl, which will be described below, by Col. S. Jaques, 

 of Ten Hills Farm, Medford. Col. Jaques is known through- 

 out the country as a veteran and scientific breeder of stock. 

 The above plate represents a cock of the kind described by 

 Richardson, and a pullet of Jaques' cross breed, both taken from 

 life. The only difference between the two consists in the fact 

 that the feathers of the hybrid are not tipped with white, but 

 are golden color tipped with black, which gives them a spotted 

 appearance. 



I have some very superior specimens of this variety, and Mr. 

 Drake, of Fiskdale, is equally fortunate. The portraits above 

 given are exceedingly accurate representations of my fowls. 

 A glance at this plate, and attention to the description, will 

 show that the birds generally which purport to be Golden 

 Pheasants are very inferior fowls, and unlike mine in important 

 respects. The extreme beauty of this, variety is not its only 

 recommendation, as they are profitable for the table, and also 

 for their laying qualities. 



