170 DIFFERENT BREEDS OF POULTRY. 



be reared. When full-grown, however, they are a tolerably 

 hardy fowl altogether, but always suffer much in moulting, 

 and during very cold or clamp weather. 



In no breed is purity of race of so much importance as in 

 this ; and in introducing a fresh cock it is especially needful 

 to see that both his appearance and his pedigree are quite 

 satisfactory. One of the most eminent breeders in England 

 once informed us that all his chickens of the season had been 

 ruined by the introduction of a fresh cock, whose face when 

 purchased appeared perfectly white, but who had imported 

 more or less stain into every chicken hatched from him. There 

 can be no doubt, however, that too close interbreeding has 

 greatly injured the Spanish fowl, and that both size, constitu- 

 tion, and prolificacy have been somewhat sacrificed to the 

 white face alone. Such a result is to be regretted ; and as 

 it is now becoming generally acknowledged and deplored, 

 we may hope that it is not yet too late to get back some 

 of the size and hardihood of the Spanish fowl as formerly 

 known. 



It is well to observe that exposure to rough or cold winds 

 will often bring out red in even good white faces. In such 

 cases shelter by high walls, and shutting up for the last few 

 days in a rather dimly-lighted shed, will generally put matters 

 right ; but this shutting-up business has been greatly overdone 

 by many exhibitors. The face is also very apt to be attacked 

 by a sort of scab or eruption, especially when the fowls are in 

 high condition. The best preventive is to keep the fosvls 

 slightly thin (Spanish show much better in such condition), 

 with the bowels gently open, giving if necessary a pinch of 

 Epsom salts occasionally, and to bathe the faces gently several 

 times a week with lukewarm milk and water, drying carefully 

 after, and dusting on some powdered oxide of zinc to prevent 

 moisture. Of course every sign of powder must be wiped off 

 before exhibition. For scabs actually formed, sulphurous acid 



