VARIETIES OF DOMESTIC FOWL. 95 



a comb, is a very large brown or yellow tuft, the feathers com- 

 posing it darkening towards their extremities. Under the inser- 

 tion of the lower mandible, or that portion of the neck corre- 

 sponding to the chin in man, is a full, dark-colored tuft, somewhat 



resembling a beard. The wattles are very small. In the Golden 

 variety, the hackles on the neck are of a brilliant orange, or 

 golden yellow ; and the general' ground-color 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 

 gray. 



In the Silver Spangled variety the only perceptible difference 

 is, that the ground-color is a silvery white. The extremity, 

 and a portion of the extreme margin of each feather, are black, 

 presenting, when in a state of rest, the appearance of regular 

 semicircular marks or spangles and hence the name of " Span- 

 gled Hamburgh," the varieties being termed gold or silver, 

 according to the prevailing color being bright yellow, or silvery 

 white. In mere excellence of flesh and as layers, they are 

 inferior to the Dorking or Spanish varieties.*' 



