BREEDING SPANISH. 169 



of the "face." This may be very large, and yet rough and 

 warty ; this is disliked and is apt to close up the eyes. Most 

 of the very largest-faced birds are apt to be rather rough, and 

 the best are usually bred by crossing these with rather smaller, 

 but smoother faces. The ear-lobes should be open and flat, 

 with as little folding or duplicature as possible. The texture 

 desired is like that of fine white kid, as free as possible from 

 little black feathers or hairs. These are generally pulled out 

 with tweezers, which improves the appearance much ; and 

 after much resistance, this practice has become universally 

 recognised, and is no longer considered fraudulent ; but almost 

 as this edition goes to press there has set in a fresh reaction 

 against it, and a few classes for " untrimmed Spanish " have 

 been tried, so that the question is again to some extent an open 

 one. 



As in all other black fowls, coloured or even white 

 feathers will occasionally happen. Such birds are hopeless to 

 exhibit, and decidedly bad to breed from. 



That the comb of the cock should be absolutely erect is 

 most important ; and as, owing to its great size, it is rather apt 

 to fall over, many breeders, to secure this, place light 

 wire frames, or " cages," over them, as soon as sufficiently 

 developed to hold the wire in place ; the combs are thus grown 

 straight like cucumbers ! But there will rarely be need for 

 this if the breeding-stock be of good constitution. The hens 

 selected for breeding should therefore be carefully chosen with 

 good thick combs, which spring up with some arch before they 

 fall over the side of the head. Hens with combs that fall 

 dead over will rarely breed strong-combed cockerels. The 

 comb of both sexes should, however, get thin at the edge, or it 

 will appear heavy and clumsy. 



Mr. Lane has alluded to the delicacy of the chickens. 

 During feathering, which is in this breed a very slow process, 

 they require special care and most generous diet, or few will 



