222 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



whereas the French were content with much more moderate 

 development in this particular, and looked more to the 

 body and general size and shape of that. 



The merits of the Creve consist in its edible qualities, 

 early maturity, the facility with which it can be both kept 

 and reared in confinement, and the fine large size of its 

 eggs. The hen is, however, only a moderate layer, and 

 the eggs are often sterile, while the breed is rather delicate 

 in this country, being subject to roup, gapes, and throat 

 diseases. This delicacy of constitution appears to improve 

 somewhat as the fowls are acclimatised and less in-bred. 

 Altogether we do not recommend the Creve as a good 

 breed for general domestic purposes. 



LA FL^CHE. In appearance this breed resembles the 

 Spanish, from which we believe it to have been at least 

 partly derived. It exceeds that breed, however, in size, the 

 cock often weighing from 8 to even 10 Ib. Both sexes 

 have a large, long body, standing on long and powerful 

 legs, and always weighing more than it appears, on account 

 of the dense and close-fitting plumage. The legs are slate- 

 colour, turning with age to a leaden grey. The plumage 

 resembles that of the Spanish, being a dense black with 

 green reflections. 



The look of the head is peculiar, the comb being not 

 only two-horned, much like the Crevecceur, near the top of 

 the head, but also appearing in the form of two little studs 

 or points just in front of the nostrils. The head used to be, 

 and still is in France, surmounted by a rudimentary black 

 crest, but English fanciers have sought to breed this out, 

 and the presence of crest is considered a disqualification 

 at English shows. On an average the French birds are 

 somewhat taller than those now bred in England. The 

 wattles are very long and pendulous, of a brilliant red 



