206 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



splashed black and white, just like the mottling of the 

 Houdan. It is remarkable thus to have received two 

 different fowls from the same locality, composed of the same 

 colours, but which have amalgamated in a different manner. 



These latter are the fowls now known as Anconas. The 

 heads and combs are distinctly Leghorn, with white to 

 creamy ear-lobes. The hackles are black edged with white, 

 rest of the plumage as described above. Attempts have been 

 made to get the creamy ear-lobes discarded for white, and 

 the black spots or mottling on the yellow leg rejected ; but 

 it is much to be hoped these may not succeed, since they 

 must ruin the usefulness of the breed, and the points are 

 in a way typical. 



Anconas are very hardy, and splendid layers. The 

 cocks are very ardent and vigorous, and Mrs. Bourlay, one 

 of the principal breeders, states that eggs are most fertile 

 generally when each is mated with about nine hens. They 

 surpass Leghorns as winter layers, and stand frost and snow 

 well. The chickens grow rapidly, and generally lay at five 

 months. When full-grown they do best fed rather spar- 

 ingly, as stock ; but if full-fed, or put up a week or two, 

 make plump and delicate, though small, table fowls. There 

 is, however, one point to be borne in mind. All these 

 splashed Anconas appear to be of a wild and nervous nature, 

 like pheasants ; and the chickens, though hardy as regards 

 exposure, require room and fresh pure ground, as pheasants 

 and turkeys do. When reared in confinement with others 

 they appear to die off from this reason. 



LEGHORNS. These fowls also belong to the great Medi- 

 terranean race, though the first two varieties known of them 

 came to us from America, where, however, they had been 

 received from Leghorn. These two original varieties were 

 the White and the Brown, the first of which were sent over 



