FARM. YARD FOWLS. 



145 



cock has a very large rose-comb, two inches 

 across, and well piked behind ; ear-lobes white ; 

 beak white ; neck-hackle white, with dark mark- 

 ing, and in old birds slightly tinged with yellow ; 

 at times, however, it is seen of a clear white. The 

 breast should be regularly imbricated or spangled, 

 exhibiting markings as clearly defined as any on 

 the hen ; black or irregularly mottled breasts 

 are too common, but can not enter in competi- 

 tion with the former ; the back, thighs, and wing- 

 coverts, white, distinctly spangled ; the latter, 

 excepting the wing quill-feathers, white; legs 

 blue ; sickle tail-feathers ample, black, irregular- 

 ly splashed with white, but the smaller feathers 

 distinctly spangled. 



The hen has a small rose-comb, well piked ; 

 eye dark, large, and prominent, that of the cock 

 being often rather yellow and less prominent ; 

 hackle, breast, back, and wing-coverts, white, 

 regularly spangled with black ; tail white, with 

 black tips. 



As the spangled feather is best developed in 

 the Hamburg varieties, we here give a drawing 

 of one. We think that the spangle which ap- 



proaches to a circular form is the most correct, 

 for when of the crescent or horse-shoe shape it 

 K 



appears to be passing toward the laced character. 

 When the spangle is of the crescent form the 

 plumage may have a gayer and lighter aspect 

 (we are speaking of the dark spangled) ; but 

 when the spangle is circular or oval, the plumage 

 is richer to the eye. The ground color of the 

 feathers must be perfectly clear. 



The Hamburg fow r ls are very impatient of 

 confinement, and succeed best when they can 

 have the run of a clean pasture or common 

 How essential this is, requires no*other evidence 

 than that all the most successful breeders with 

 \vhom we have communicated have spontane- 

 ously stated, " They require a large grass walk." 

 Six feet fences, where they are intended to be 

 restricted to certain limits, will not be more 

 than sufficient for their safe custody. 



As egg-producers they are fully entitled to 

 rank among the best. The hens, if young, con- 

 tinue to lay nearly thoughout the year; but the 

 eggs, which are white, are small, weighing about 

 H ounces each. The Golden-spangled reacli 

 to about If ounces. Of the last named, Mr. 

 Dixon gives the high average of 240 eggs yearly. 

 As they are such abundant layers they seldom 

 want to sit. 



It is remarked by Mr. Dixon that " the chick- 

 ens are healthy, strong, and require no unusual 

 care ;" who adds, " The full grown fowls are re- 

 markably healthy." When first hatched the 

 chickens are cream colored, or, in the Golden 

 varieties, light yellow, with a dark stripe down 

 the neck and back. They feather early, and the 

 barred character of the penciled birds is quicklv 

 shown. In the rapidity of their movement* 

 they rival even the active little Bantams. 



We may here observe that both sexes of all 

 the varieties continue to improve in appearance 

 after each moult until they are three years old . 

 Birds of one year old have never attained t<> 

 their full beauty; this is especially apparent in 

 the more ample development of the tail-feather.- 

 of the cock as he becomes older. At from five 

 to six months old they are fit for table use, their 

 meat white, tender, and well flavored. 



BLACK HAMBURG FOWL. 



This is also called the Black Pheasant fowl, 

 though it has no spangles, but a plumage uni- 



