Characteristics of Spanish. 341 



to exhibit ; but the cockerels were exceedingly useful to breed from with the larger-faced hens of 

 other strains. 



" The combs of the cocks as now generally exhibited are very much too large. Nearly all 

 these large combs have to be supported by cardboard, wire, or some other apparatus, put on to 

 keep them upright. Such overgrown combs may occasionally be seen at exhibitions with very 

 small holes through them, showing where a thread has been through to fasten the cardboard or 

 whatever else has been used to keep them straight and upright. The worst of these large combs is, 

 that during the confinement before a show, or even during the exhibition itself, they become 

 larger and softer, and fall over ; entailing almost continual punishment on the bird by his having to 

 wear a head-gear he does not like, and endless trouble and disappointment to the owner, besides 

 vexation to the judge — for the latter occasionally finds he has given perhaps the first prize to a 

 bird which, though he carried his comb as straight and upright as possible when he awarded the 

 prize to him, only a few hours after carries it entirely on one side. 



" The face of the cock should be entirely free from coarseness ; for in the very coarse, lumpy- 

 faced birds, the white as they get older will close up the eye so as to prevent a bird from seeing. 

 When this arises from the white under the eye getting so puffed out as to prevent the lids from 

 opening, a piece of the white may be cut out, so as to allow the eye to open freely. Cockerels with 

 the white over the eye running to an angle towards the back part of the face, have very often the 

 sight destroyed in the second year by the white over the eye growing down. As this part cannot be 

 cut without disfiguring the bird, a piece of thread is put through a small portion of the white above 

 the eye, passed close to the back of the comb over the top of the head to the other side, and through 

 a corresponding portion of the eye there ; this is then tied so as to raise the white on both sides, and 

 leave the sight unobstructed. 



" The Spanish cock's beak should be long and stout, and of a deep horn-colour. The comb 

 should be bright red, single, firm, and well set on the head, so as not to shake about — thick at the 

 base, and so gradually thinner to the edge ; perfectly erect, straight, and free from twist either in 

 front or any other part. It should rise from the beak between the fore-part of the nostrils, and 

 extend in an arched form over the back part of the head, the under part at the back almost touching 

 the top of the neck. It should be deeply serrated, the serrations beginning about an inch from the 

 beak, and being small in front, gradually increasing in size until they reach the higher part. The 

 head should be large altogether, being both long, broad, and very deep-sided ; the eyes large, 

 perfectly free, and open. The face and ear-lobe should be of the purest white, and the texture soft 

 and delicate, like the finest white kid ; smooth, and free from ridges or folds, the sight being perfectly 

 free, and not obstructed by the white. The white should reach well on to the beak in front, and rise 

 over the eye close to the base of the comb in an arched form, and extend well towards the back of 

 the head, the further over and behind the ear the better, and continuing to extend, without any 

 break in the line, towards the back of the upper part of the neck. The ear-lobe also should be as 

 long, broad, and open as possible, spreading out on the neck perfectly free from folds, and hanging 

 down very low ; not in any degree narrowing to a point, but preserving its width well until neatly 

 rounded on the bottom ; coming up again in front of the neck, and joining the wattles, which last 

 should be bright red, long, and thin ; the inside of the upper part and the skin betwixt, or 

 throat, white. 



" A good Spanish cock is something to be proud of; in shape and carriage there is no fowl 

 except the Game that can equal him. The neck is rather long and gracefully arched, with the 

 hackle abundant, and reaching well on to his shoulders. The breast is prominent and most beauti- 

 fully rounded, and the body neatly narrowing to the tail, with the wings close up to the body. He 



