Qualities of Hamburgiis. 361 



approaching a spangled character. Perhaps, indeed, the evidence of these facts is about as strong 

 as could be possibly anticipated at such a late date in favour of this view, if we consider the utter 

 want of interest in poultry, and consequent absence of observations at any distance back ; and the 

 same reasons make it exceedingly difficult even to conjecture what the common progenitor — if 

 there was one— may have been. Bearing in mind, however, that old Aldrovandus calls a fowl 

 which bears a very plain general resemblance to the Silver-Pencilled breed Gallina Turcica, or the 

 Turkish Fowl, it is rather interesting to notice how this very name alone suggests an Eastern and 

 therefore probably more ancient origin than either the Dutch or E.iglish we have been considering; 

 and it may be that here we have either the parent or a near descendant from the parent stock 

 of each. These are, however, mere speculations ; they may be legitimate, or they may not, and we 

 mention them chiefly as another instance of the fascinating problems that constantly present 

 themselves for solution to the poultry-fancier of a philosophic or inquiring turn of mind. 



In proceeding to the consideration of the different varieties of Hamburghs, we have the greatest 

 pleasure in being able to give the views and experience of Mr. Henry Beldon, of Goitstock, Bingley, 

 Yorkshire, who has never been approached in his general and continuous success as an exhibitor of 

 the Hamburgh varieties. It has long been known that the rules of breeding followed by him and 

 others at the present day differed considerably from those formerly pursued and recommended 

 by fanciers of good standing ; but no account of the present methods has yet been published. 

 All breeders will therefore feel indebted to him for the notes he has furnished ; while naturalists 

 will feel interested in the light thrown upon various questions by the amiigamation into one strain 

 of races which only a very few years back weie pronounced by high authorities incapable of any 

 such real union, though crossed as separate varieties for the production of show birds. 



"Hamburghs," says Mr. Beldon, "are without doubt the most beautiful breed of poultry we 

 possess, as well as one of the most useful. In their different varieties they give plenty of scope to 

 the fancier to indulge his tastes ; but whether he choose Pencilled or Spangled, Gold, Silver, or 

 Black, all are without doubt elegant and beautiful. The dweller in the country will generally 

 prefer the Silver, while the citizen will take the Golden or the Black ; but all of them, in their 

 matchless variety of marking and colour, will delight the eye with the utmost degree which is 

 perhaps possible of beauty in fowls. 



" Hamburghs, however, require free range. They are of little or no use penned up, in which 

 state they pine and mope for liberty, that brigh: cheerfulness which is common to them disappears, 

 and from being the happiest they become the most wretched of birds.- If your convenience will 

 not allow you to give them a grass-run of moderate size, my advice is to keep some other kind ; 

 but if you have a good run no class of poultry will pay so well. They are small eaters and 

 wonderful egg-producers, a single hen laying in a twelvemonth, under favourable circumstances, from 

 200 to 220 eggs. They are also capital foragers, and when in health will always be "seen at work, 

 especially in the early morning, rummaging the pastures. Their quick eye at once espies their prey, 

 and woe to the poor worm that happens on that particular morning to have got up a httle too early; 

 its early hours are suddenly put a stop to, and in this case the early riser finds it is not always well to 

 be up too soon. Another good quality is that they are generally non-sitters, and there is not so much 

 trouble with them as with the sitting varieties, though there are exceptions to the rule. I know that 

 some people look upon any Hamburgh sitting as an evidence of taint in the blood, but I am quite sure 

 this is an erroneous notion ; for the best Silver-spangled hen I ever possessed (in fact, the very same 

 bird Mr. Teebay mentions in another work as one of the best he ever saw, and as moulting without 

 change up to seven years old), without doubt the most successful winner of cups and prizes during 

 the present generation, wished to sit. In this case, however, the fit only came upon her in old age, 

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