QUALITIES OP SPANISH. 173 



also very long over their moult, and need special care and 

 nourishing food at this season. 



They are also liable to a peculiar disease called " black rot." 

 The symptoms are a blackening of the comb, swelling of the 

 legs and feet, and general wasting of the system. It can only 

 be cured in the earlier stages by frequent doses of salts, to 

 keep up purging, at the same time giving freely strong ale or 

 other stimulants, with warm and nourishing food. 



Another singular disease occasionally occurring in this fowl 

 has never, we believe, had any name given to it; but the 

 symptom is the occurrence, in rapid succession, of bladders 

 under the skin, which contain, however, nothing but air. We 

 believe the cause to be debility : at least, nourishing and stimu- 

 lating food, and pricking each vesicle as it rises, will generally 

 effect a cure. 



The merit of Spanish fowls is their production of large 

 white eggs, which are laid in great abundance in moderate 

 weather. They are also of fair quality as table-birds, though 

 the meat is a little " short "and dry in flavour. But they 

 cannot be called good winter layers, unless with the aid of 

 artificial heat; and their delicacy of constitution is a great 

 drawback to their otherwise many merits. We believe, 

 however, that fanciers have this point much in their own 

 hands. In spite of such a fault, wherever large eggs are valued 

 or desired, the Spanish will always be regarded as a most 

 useful and profitable fowl the Minorca or Andalusian being the 

 best regarded from this point. 



Hampers for sending any variety of the Spanish race 

 ought to be unusually well lined. Mr. Lane always lined his 

 with flannel. If this precaution be neglected, a severe 

 night on the journey may shrivel the birds and their chances 

 up to nothing. 



