178 



The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



which steady perseverance and real study of the subject are more certain to be rewarded by 

 success than the poultry-fancy, if honour and honesty be also preserved ; for a " character " is 

 absolutely necessary to continued success in this field, and rightly so. 



Fowls sold at a fair price ought to be sent away in a good poultry-basket. It is annoying, 

 and risky too, to receive valuable fowls in a dirty, broken-down hamper ; and this kind of mean- 

 ness, by its very pettiness, produces an impression which may do lasting injury even to the vendor. 

 The label should be distinctly written, in printed characters if possible, Fig. 5 1 being the best 

 form with which we are acquainted. 



LiyE BIRDS.-WITH CARE. 



Mr. Joliii Smith, 



Blankville , 



Blankshire. 



Per Midland litj. 



Sent frcm London, S a.m., Monday. 



Fig. SI. 



We can state from experience that writing the time of dispatch on the label is a wonderful 

 stimulus to punctual delivery; but as a rule live poultry, we are bound to say, are seldom 

 delayed. The last thing before sending off, if in the morning, they should be fed with soft food in 

 moderation ; if at night, they need nothing special except for very long journeys. We usually 

 prefer to send off by the night mail trains, as such generally run through, and there is no loss of 

 time at junctions. 



The export of prize poultry has lately developed to a very great extent, and the management 

 of fowls on ship-board is much better understood than it was formerly. They are best sent in 

 zvooden coops, barred in the front only. These should have a stout canvas cover to draw over in 

 rough weather, and the bottom should be raised by legs several inches above the deck, the top 

 being tight and weather-proof. Handles should be provided at each end for convenience of moving. 

 Various plans may be adopted for the interior, and one much used by some American fanciers in 

 sending fowls to England is to divide the coops by partitions into chambers just wide enough to 

 hold one bird without turning round, like fatting-pcns ; but on the whole, from all we can gather, we 

 should prefer a moderate-sized coop for several fowls together. For three Asiatics we should use 

 a coop about three feet square. A movable low perch, which can be fixed at night and removed 

 in the day, adds much to the comfort of the birds. 



Plain directions for '"ceding should accompany the fowls, embracing the following particulars. 

 A supply of grit or gravel should if possible be taken, and if so two or three handfuls should 

 be thrown over the floor of the coop every morning after cleaning. In that case the fowls should 

 be fed with a moderate quantity of friable dough morning and evening, and a very little wheat or 

 maize at mid-day, water being constantly looked after. The food and water tins should be outside 

 the coop, or injury may ensue, as in the case of a fine Brown Leghorn hen sent for portraiture in 

 this work, whose head was so severely injured by the tin in some way that she died the evening of 

 .^rrival. If gra\'cl cannot be had. the soft food should be mixed with a small portion of coarse 



