8PANGLED HAMBURGIJS. 177 



were white, and the cocks had much smarter and neater 

 combs. 



At first Yorkshire cocks were shown for their smart heads, 

 with Mooney hens. Then the cocks were bred between 

 Yorkshire cocks and Mooney hens ; and this lasted for many 

 years. Two sets of birds were still required, pure Mooneys for 

 the hens, and the cross for cocks ; and this complicated system, 

 common also to the next variety, disgusted hundreds of 

 amateurs, who did not understand it, and vainly mated the 

 birds as seen and purchased at shows. In fact, the breeds were 

 confined to a mere handful of experts. Gradually, however, 

 the mixed blood began to be used on the pullets to improve 

 their red deaf-ears, and thus the strains slowly amalgamated, 

 combining the good points of each ; until pullets are found 

 with all the Mooney marking and good heads, while the smart 

 cockerels have all the marking needed for pullet-breeding. At 

 last, therefore, breeding has become comparatively simple, 

 it being sufficient to select hens or pullets large and good 

 enough in marking, and with good heads, and then to mate 

 them with a cock as deeply spangled as possible. If the bird', 

 "hit" well, the arrangement should be continued as long 

 as they will breed ; if not, another cock should be tried ; and 

 this is how Spangled Hamburghs are now usually bred, though 

 a few still profess to breed Mooney pullets pure. Even in 

 these, however, the white ears betray the foreign blood. The 

 present Gold-spangled cock has a jet green-black tail, and is 

 spangled as regularly as possible, especially in regard to 

 two bars of spots across the wing. Some birds, almost too 

 dark for exhibition, if good in head, breed excellent pullets. 



SILVER-SPANGLED. In this class two similar varieties 

 existed. The Lancashire silver " Mooney," with large round 

 spangles, resembled the golden, substituting a silvery white 

 ground colour. The outside tail feathers in the hen, however, 

 dilFered from the golden Mooney, being silvery white, with only 



