ANDALUSIANS. 203 



also lower in front and with more numerous, narrower ser- 

 rations, while the hens often had upright or prick combs. 

 These tendencies, however, still exist, and seem to show 

 that, however crossed, more or less of the original blood 

 still persists. Breeders have since crossed the fowl with 

 either Spanish or Minorca to improve the comb, the pure- 

 bred type of which is quite different from the Minorcas', 

 having a less convex arch in the front, reaching further 

 behind the head, and with more spikes. The hen's must 

 fall over, but prick combs are still found. 



The other characteristic of the breed is its colour, which 

 is of a slaty-blue or blue dun. The lightest are almost of a 

 dove-colour ; but such are useless for exhibition, a decided 

 bluish-slate of rather dark tint being required. The breast 

 and under-parts of the cock match the hen in this respect. 

 But each body-feather must now, moreover, in an exhibition 

 bird, be laced with much darker blue, purple, or it may be 

 practically black. The cock's hackles and upper plumage 

 are also dark purple, or black with purple lustre ; the tail 

 also sound dark colour. The face is red, with no trace of 

 white ; ear-lobes white, but narrower than in most 

 Minorcas. The latter are very apt to be rough, but should 

 be smooth and soft. 



In breeding for exhibition, the parents should be slightly 

 darker than the colour desired : if only one be 'darker, the 

 excess should be a little more. The sexes do not require 

 separate pens ; but on the whole more show pullets are 

 produced with the proper colour of hens and a darker cock, 

 while more good cockerels occur from dark parents on both 

 sides. Lacing-must be even and distinct, and the ground- 

 colour go right down to the fluff of the feather. A rather 

 large-combed cockerel or cock is best, to avoid, as far as 

 possible, prick-combed pullets. Colour will always, how- 

 ever, be the chief difficulty ; besides those which come too 



