White-faced Spanish. . 337 



If this be so, it would be most probable that the bird should come to England from Spain. 

 France is too far north ; and though far nearer to England, it is doubtful whether that country 

 had nearly so much intercourse as the Spaniards with the English of the Middle Ages — such 

 intercourse, at least, as leads to the introduction of new varieties. Into the reasons for this we need 

 not enter, though the maritime enterprise of the only nation which ever rivalled England as a naval 

 power at once rises to the mind ; and it is sufficient to remark that, from the time when the Black 

 Prince hobnobbed with the Dons in the Peninsula, and a little later, when Drake thrashed them so 

 handsomely at sea, till the more modern days when Spanish and Portuguese wines drove Burgundy 

 out of the English market, there was ample opportunity for the introduction and naturalisation of 

 a fowl which is still found extensively to be the " Spanish" breed of the present day. 



WHITE-FACED BLACK SPANISH.— No breed except the Malay looks so high upon 

 the leg as the Spanish fowl ; and perhaps even the Malay has scarcely so " stilty " or strutting 

 a gait as the high-bred Spanish cock. The carriage, and the quick and frequent motion of the 

 head and neck, make them very showy fowls, even independent of that white face wliich is their 

 most striking characteristic, and the size, quality, and shape of which are the chief points in a 

 show bird. 



Perhaps no point in any race of poultry could better show what may be effected by long and 

 careful breeding than the face of the Spanish fowl. In every breed — even those in which it is a 

 decided blemish — more or less tendency to white in the ear-lobe is constantly found ; and by 

 selecting such birds a pure white ear-lobe might be developed with no difficulty whatever, and has 

 been done in the Hamburghs as well as the Spanish. Whiteness in the face is more rare, but signs 

 of it are observable now and then in nearly all white-eared breeds,* and it is evidently by selecting 

 such specimens that the white Spanish face has received its present striking development. In 

 perfection it should be of a soft and delicate texture, free from black hairs or feathers, and as 

 smooth as possible. Birds deficient in the latter quality are often termed " cauliflower-faced," and 

 though sometimes very showy as chickens, invariably look coarse and rough when older. A good 

 shape to the white, the outline going well back behind the ear, is equally important. 



Of the comb we shall speak later on, and only add here that the long thin legs should be as 

 dark a blue as possible, black not being objectionable, though a brighter colour is preferred. The 

 natural tendency of all black fowls is to dark legs, and it is a little odd that many years ago 

 Spanish fanciers demanded pale or almost white legs in show birds. These were bred with infinite 

 difficulty and trouble, and legs not pale enough were not unfrequently encased in poultices some 

 days before a show, in order to give the desired pale tint. The change to dark legs has removed 

 one difficulty in breeding a fowl which is tioublesome enough at best to produce and show at all 

 approaching perfection ; but it is a little remarkable that the tendency to pale legs inherited from 

 the old fanciers still exists. As Mr. Hewitt writes us, just as these pages go to press : " A marked 

 peculiarity of well-bred, thoroughly white-faced Spanish fowls is, the older they are the lighter 

 coloured the legs naturally become, until between the toes of some of the very best specimens that 

 were ever placed in a show-pen the tint was simply a very light lavender. As this arises from age, 

 and not any artificial appliance, whatever may be urged to the contrary notwithstanding, I myself' 

 see no reason why this 7tatiiral paleness should not be tolerated." 



For the following most interesting notes on Spanish we are indebted to Mr. Richard Teebay, 

 of Fulwood, near Preston, one of the oldest and most experienced breeders. They are specially 

 \ 



* See Mr. Serjeantson's remark on the occurrence of white-face as a blemish in even Spangled Hamburghs. 

 43 



