yuDGixG French Fowls. 419 



the hen was a grey-speckled bird, showing very plainly that some old importation of the Dorking 

 fowl (which is well known in France) had had much to do with it, though, as already remarked, it 

 appears nothing more than a fine and well-fed barn-yard race, improved by any promising cross as 

 occasion offered. We have seen also black-breasted and speckled-breasted cocks ; but though all 

 the birds were much of the Dorking type — and the finest we remember (the cock weighing ten 

 pounds and a half) was in almost all points a Dorking — we never saw one with the fifth toe. 



No scale even of descriptive points can be given for the La Bresse fowls, further than to say 

 that the larger they are and the nearer they come to the Dorking type, except the fifth toe, the 

 better. We believe none have now been imported for a long while, and we confess we can see no 

 reason for doing so, as they present no points to tempt the fancier, to whose energy is always due 

 the chief importation of fowls ; while many other breeds equal them in merely useful qualities. 



Besides the breeds named above, many crosses or sub-races are known throughout various 

 districts in France. Some of them — such as the Le Mans, which is evidently a Creve with the 

 crest much diminished — have attained to some uniformity of type, but all are evidently derived 

 from one or the other of the preceding breeds, and as evidently partake of the strong 

 Polish ancestry. 



The whole opens up two general questions of some importance. The first is, the great merits 

 of the Polish race in respect of egg-production and quality of flesh, and the perfect possibility of 

 grafting these upon increased size and hardiness, or, as in the case of the Crevecceur, of adding 

 to the size while preserving the Polish blood nearly, if not quite, pure ; the second is, the power of 

 man, by judicious crosses, to create and fix new types of very different appearance and qualities 

 from the same primeval ancestry. Little has been done in the way of crosses as yet by English 

 fanciers ; and the results already obtained by both French and American experimentalists in this 

 field of enterprise are sufficient to cause some feeling of regret that the most scientific and skilful 

 of all breeders have not yet set their hands to similar work, at least as regards die larger varieties. 

 The creation of Game Bantams, and the marvellous truth of form and feather obtained in these 

 beautiful breeds, would warrant the expectation of "something good" if scientific breeding of this 

 description were systematically attempted with regard to the more useful races of fowls. 



JUDGING^ FRENCH FOWLS. — In deciding the relative merits of these birds, it is never 

 to be forgotten that they are chiefly to be regarded as useful races ; hence good size, symmetry, 

 and evident vigour of constitution, should always be allowed great weight in judging, and be 

 always allowed to carry the day in doubtful cases. There are, perhaps, few classes in which the 

 special gifts of "a quick eye for a good fowl," and " common sense," are so much required. In 

 Houdans especially, considerable latitude as to shade must be allowed, though in Creves, of course, 

 being black fowls, any coloured feathers must always be discouraged. For the rest we must refer 

 to our Schedules. 



SCHEDULE FOR JUDGING FRENCH FOWLS. 



General Characteristics of Houdan Cock. — Head and Keck — General appearance of head brisk and lively ; beak 

 medium-sized ; comb large and branched, some«'hat like two leaves of a book opened, with a bunch of coral in the middle ; 

 wattles rather long, but neatly rounded ; deaf-ears ratlier smaU, and nearly hidden by the muffling ; crest large and full, pointing 

 rather backward, away from tlie comb ; beard or muffling full and thick, both under throat and at sides ; neck medium length, 

 carried very upright, well arched, and full of hackle. Body — General appearance full and square, the back very wide and slightly 

 drooping ; saddle also wide ; wings well developed, but carried closely and tightly ; breast very broad, prominent, and full. Leg. 

 and Feet — Thighs and shanks short, the latter perfectly free from feathers, and moderately stout ; toes well developed and straigh', 

 with a double or fifth toe behind, to be distinctly formed, and turned rather upwards, as in Dorkings. Tail — Ample, with broad 



