164 



THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



6ILVEB-CEESTED FOWL. 



SILVER-CRESTED FOWL. 



This superb variety of crested fowl is second 

 jnly to the Golden, before described, in brillian- 

 cy of plumage and odd contrast of colors, being 

 >f a silvery white ground with curious shaped 

 jlack spots at the points or ends of the feathers. 

 In size, they are less than the common fowl. 

 The feathers on the crown of the head are 

 longer than the others, and their assemblage 

 rbrms an upright tuft or bunch, the colors of 

 vhich are variable ; those of the cock are rather 

 in aigrette than a tuft, which gives them a light 

 md airy appearance, and does not annoy or 

 )bstruct their sight, as it often does that of the 

 Inland fowl. The comb is double and very 

 ;mall, and their wattles are smaller than those 

 )f other breeds. The cock has bluish ear-lobes, 

 md a black collar under his throat. 



The hen is considerably smaller than the cock, 

 md is acknowledged, by all who have seen her, 

 ,he most splendid bird of the gallinaceous tribe 

 "hey had ever met with. Her colors are simi- 

 lar to the cock, about equally divided, and the 

 iark spots have the appearance of scales. The 

 *rown or crest is unusually large, first rising 

 rrom the head and then falling over, which gives 



it more the appearance of a fine double full- 

 blown dahlia than any thing else we can com- 

 pare it with. 



The specimens from which our portraits were 

 taken (and we regret to say the artist has not 

 done them justice), were presented to the au- 

 thor by a friend living on Staten Island, who 

 said they were imported from France, and are 

 said to be very prolific layers. They make 

 quite a showy appearance in the poultry -yard. 

 They are very scarce in this country, nor have 

 we found them described in any of the old poul- 

 try books. 



Those who desire to propagate any particular 

 variety, must of course keep them apart, and not 

 allow them to intermingle with those of a dif- 

 ferent color. They are generally esteemed in 

 proportion to the beauty and rareness of their 

 tints. Such are the gold and silver ones, the 

 penciled and spangled, and the white with black 

 crests, which we have often heard of but never 

 seen. 



Mr. J. Giles, of Providence, in a letter to the 

 author says, " If eggs are the only object in view, 

 then, as far as my experience goes, the Poland 

 fowls are the best layers, seldom or ever want- 

 ing to sit." 



