Breeding of Silver-spangled Hamburghs. 367 



" In Yorkshire, on the other hand, we possessed another Silver-spangled breed which had the 

 desired cock-feathering, the cock being indeed a fine full-plumaged bird ; but the colour and size 

 of the spangling was much inferior to the Lancashire variety. I feel morally certain myself that 

 this was the breed the Lancashire people had to commence with, and which was bred up to such 

 perfection by them as stated above, losing in ear-lobe and developing the hen-tail through 

 continued breeding for feather only. This cock-feathered, or Yorkshire Pheasant breed as it was 

 called, lacked not only the size, but the roundness and glossy greenness in the spangles of the 

 Lancashire variety, but were decidedly smarter in appearance, and possessed whiter ear-lobes. The 

 hen-feathered Lancashire Mooney breed has reddish ear-lobes, and even the Yorkshire Pheasants 

 had not much to boast of in this respect ; still they were whitish, and a few years' careful breeding 

 soon brought this point to perfection. The Yorkshire cocks had, moreover, nice clear tails, while 

 the hen-feathered cocks often had smutty tails ; but, on the other hand, they much lacked colour 

 on the back and wings. 



"At first these Yorkshire cocks were shown alongside the Lancashire Mooney hens, and of 

 course to breed prize-winners the two varieties had to be kept and bred separately. Each variety, 

 however, possessed great defects : in the hen-feathered Mooney the combs were coarse and the 

 ear-lobes red ; while in the Yorkshire cocks the back, saddle-hackles, and shoulders were white. 

 The two were therefore bred together, at first chiefly for the production of better cockerels ; but by 

 degrees an amalgamation of the two breeds was brought about, and by careful and judicious 

 crossing a bird was at last produced that contained all the required characteristics. Some noted 

 fanciers yet breed from two sets for cockerels and pullets, taking for pullets the old hen-feathered 

 breed ; but when this is done great care must be taken that the strain is pure hen-feathered on 

 both sides. The disadvantage of this plan is, that the surplus cocks from this strain are worth 

 absolutely nothing for exhibition, and very frequently will not breed \i.e., are unprolific], so of 

 course such surplus birds have to be killed off, or sold for breeding purposes only. For cock- 

 breeding, of course, such fanciers choose birds likely to produce the required points ; seldom now 

 using the pure Yorkshire, but selecting a bird with fine smart comb, good ear-lobes, good bars, well 

 spangled breast, and as clear a tail as possible, with of course good back and saddle spangling 

 (never found in the Yorkshire pure), and putting him with hens well spangled throughout, and having 

 good combs and ear-lobes. It will, no doubt, be thought by many to be but a clumsy way of 

 breeding, to have to breed from what are really two sorts ; and in fact it is now not really 

 necessary to do so, as the cocks now suited for the most successful competition are also such as 

 breed the best pullets ; the chief requirements necessary to success in the pen being now that the 

 bird possess as much marking as^ possible without being hen-feathered, which is also what we want 

 for pullet-breeding. This has taken much time and patience to effect, but it is unquestionably a 

 very great gain. 



" I therefore, taking the Silver-spangled breed as it has been formed by the skill of fanciers, 

 and now actually exists, advise the beginner to proceed as follows. Let him get from some well- 

 known breeder such a bird as I have just described — that is, possessing good comb and ear-lobes, 

 with as much spangling on back and saddle as possible, good bars, and clear tail, but not hen- 

 feathered ; in fact, a good deep-coloured show cock ; and simply put him to the very best hens he 

 can get, avoiding carefully any great faults on either side, such as a coarse comb or smudgy 

 markings, and then try what he can do. If he thus produces a fair proportion of good chickens, 

 let him stick to this set as long as they will breed, for it is not every lot that hits well. If the 

 produce is not to his mind let him change the cock, getting one from some other strain, and so on 

 till he gets what he desires ; for the different strains and the two breeds I have described are now 



