22O THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



a peculiar tendency to cold and roup the white-crested 

 black variety being the most delicate of all. The dense 

 crest becomes during a shower saturated with water, and 

 the fowls are thus attacked in the most vital part. No 

 birds are so affected by bad weather. They can only 

 be kept successfully in warm, genial situations, on well- 

 drained ground, with a chalk or sand sub-soil, and with 

 ample shelter to which they can resort during showers. In 

 such circumstances they will do well, and repay the owners 

 by an ample supply of eggs. Closely confined in a dry shed 

 they also do well, if only kept rigidly clean and free from 

 vermin. 



Polish breeders should not seize their birds suddenly. 

 The crest so obscures their vision that they are taken by 

 surprise, and frequently so terrified as to die in the hand,. 

 They should, therefore, always be first spoken to, or other- 

 made aware of their owner's approach. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



FRENCH BREEDS. 



SEVERAL remarkable breeds of fowls have been introduced 

 into England from France, which it will be convenient to 

 describe in one chapter. They all deserve the careful 

 attention of the mercantile poultry breeder, possessing as 

 they do in a high degree the important points of weight 

 and excellent quality of flesh, with a small proportion of 

 bones and offal. These characteristics our neighbours have 

 assiduously cultivated with most marked success, and we 

 cannot avoid remarking yet again on the results which 

 might have been produced in this country had more atten- 

 tion been paid to them here, instead of laying almost 

 exclusive stress upon colour and other fancy points. Most 



