A COMMERCIAL POINT OF VIEW. 123 



Houdan fowls, and justly esteemed as the most preco- 

 cious and finest in the world, as the chickens are fit for 

 the table at three months old, and at six months old 

 weigh from seven to eight pounds when fattened ; the 

 eggs also are larger, and of a beautiful white. 



La Fleche Race. 



This breed differs entirely with the two preceding ones. 

 In appearance they resemble the Spanish ; the plumage, 

 which is jet black, fits close to the body, and gives an 

 idea of less bulk than those of Houdan and Crevecoeur, 

 although they actually are heavier fowls. They are very 

 long in coming to maturity, but which happens generally 

 at the season when poultry is most scarce, on account of 

 which, coupled with the exquisite flavor of the flesh, 

 they fetch fabulous prices ; and even at the time I was at 

 La Fleche, the beginning of July, the fat chickens sold in 

 the market at five shillings each. Skin white, fine, trans- 

 parent, and very elastic, which enables them to take an 

 extraordinary amount of fat. The weight of adults is 

 from eight to ten pounds, and the bones less than one 

 eighth of the weight ; when standing erect they measure 

 twenty-two inches in height and twenty-three inches in 

 circumference, taken from under the wings. The legs, 

 and four claws, of a lead color, are strong ; the comb in 

 appearance like two horns, like those of Crevecceurs, 

 with a little crest behind ; the face white, like the Span- 

 ish, and a horn on the beak like that of the rhinoceros, 

 form the principal characteristics of this fine race. It 

 is said they begin to lay early in the year; but their 

 eggs, though abundant, are smaller than those of other 



