SPANISH FOWLS. 167 



no other is so generally popular. This is no doubt partly 

 owing to their truly aristocratic and haughty appearance, but 

 no less also their unrivalled large white eggs, which exceed 

 in weight those of any other treed, except the lately introduced 

 La Fleche, and are always sought after for the breakfast-table. 



Of all the varieties of this breed now known, the white- 

 faced Black Spanish is the only one for which a special class is 

 reserved at all poultry exhibitions ; all others having often to 

 be shown in the class " for any other variety." Of this truly 

 Beautiful breed the following description has been given us, 

 and subsequently carefully revised by the late Mr. H. Lane of 

 Bristol, well known for his magnificent strain, and who during 

 his career probably took more first prizes with his birds than 

 any other breeder within a similar period : 



" The general carriage of Spanish fowls is of great import- 

 ance. The cock especially should carry himself very stately 

 and upright, the breast well projecting, and a tail standing 

 well up, but not carried forward as in some birds. The sickle- 

 feathers should be perfect and fully developed, and the whole 

 plumage a dense jet black, with glossy reflections in the light. 

 The hen should be equally dense in colour, but is much less 

 glossy. Any white or speckled feathers, which now and then 

 occur, are fatal faults. 



" The legs should be blue or dark lead-colour ; any approach 

 to white is decidedly bad.* The legs in both sexes are long, 

 but the fowl should be nevertheless plump and heavy. I con- 

 sider a good cock for exhibition ought not to weigh under 

 seven pounds : the hen a pound less ; and I have had several 

 excellent cocks which weighed eight pounds each. All Spanish 

 fowls in really good condition are heavier than they appear 

 to be. 



* It is singular that the old fanciers imperatively required these 

 identical bluish-white le^s in prize birds ; and legs of too dork a tint were 

 often put in poultices to make them light enough! 



