34 CHOICE OF COLOUR. 



procured from southern latitudes are ex- 

 ceedingly sensible to the cold, and rarely 

 lay except during the heats of summer. 

 Northern fowls, on the other hand, if origi- 

 nally good, will improve very much by re- 

 moval to a warmer latitude. 



With respect to colour, there can b'e no 

 particular rule, although almost every one 

 has his fancy on this subject. Some prefer 

 the dominico or blue-spotted hen ; others, 

 the oldfashioned dunghill, of a reddish or 

 yellowish colour ; while others, again, assert 

 that the jet black hen is the best. My own 

 experience is in favour of the latter; I think 

 they are more hardy, moult with less diffi- 

 culty, and commence laying in the coldest 

 weather, while fowls of other colours are 

 drooping and inactive. Among experienced 

 marketmen the preference is given to yellow- 

 legged fowls. They differ in no remarkable 

 degree in flavour from any other, but they 

 appear handsomer when dressed, and on that 

 account, I suppose, find a more ready sa~e. 

 I conceive fowls of a pure white colour to 

 be the least adapte'' to our climate, and 1 



