OTHER FRENCH BREEDS. 195 



there is tolerable evidence that English Dorkings have several 

 times been crossed on their own stock by the La Bresse 

 farmers. 



It will be seen that the French breeds are eminently table 

 fowls ; and it is worthy of remark that by breeding for edible 

 qualities, without paying over-much attention to feather or other 

 fancy points, our neighbours have succeeded in producing birds 

 far superior to any English breed we will not say in quality, so 

 long as Game and Dorking are left us but in smallness of bone 

 and offal. We should hope that the lesson may not be lost 

 upon our breeders, and that poultry committees may be led to 

 afford somewhat more encouragement than they have hitherto 

 done to the cultivation of size and general proportion, with a 

 view to the table, as distinguished from mere artificial or fancy 

 qualities. 



LE MANS. There appears nothing very distinctive about 

 this race ; indeed, French writers themselves describe it as a 

 sub- variety of the Cr6ve, with rose or cup combs and little or 

 no crest. 



COURTES PATTES. At the Paris Show of 1878 the reporter 

 of the Live Stock Journal gave the first English description of 

 these fowls. They are black, with single combs, and extremely 

 short legs. They sit well, and were said to have been produced 

 by the La Fleche breeders in order to hatch their non-sitting 

 varieties. They were also said never to scratch in a garden. 

 Some months later specimens were imported by Mr. Christy, 

 but the last characteristic was found not to hold good, at least 

 in English gardens. They are hardy, good layers, and good in 

 flesh, but do not seem to breed very true in colour and some 

 other points. The extremely short legs give them a quaint 

 appearance, and are the most characteristic point. 



