EUROPEAN BREEDS, 165 
peculiar crest, beard, and mufiling, and the lively mark- 
ings of their plumage, which, when perfect, is of a 
mixed ‘‘ pebbly” black-and-white. They have the fifth 
toe,—a useless, objectionable member, which they inherit 
from the Dorking strain in their ancestry, although 
along with it they have the fine-flavored flesh and plump 
breast of that race. Their legs are gray and their bones 
remarkably light They are egg-producers rather than 
breeders; and if properly fed, the hens will lay on with- 
out stopping to ‘‘ sit.” They will thrive in confinement, 
when properly kept, as well as when roaming at large; 
and when allowed to range, exercise the liberty now and 
then with greater freedom than is convenient upon the 
farm. The standard of excellence of the poultry-fan- 
ciers for the Houdan is subject to some variation as to 
minor points, such as the shape of the comb; the fifth 
toe, however, is insisted upon; the feathering should be 
of black and white, evenly mixed, and not patchy; the 
saddle of the cock is tipped with straw yellow; the crest 
is of black and white feathers, evenly mixed, and thrown 
back so as to show the comb, which is double, evenly 
toothed upon each side, and with both sides alike in 
shape; the hackle is black and white, the beard and 
muffle almost hide the face, and the wattles are long and 
evenly rounded at the ends. The hen is square-bodied, 
and low-framed, with plumage like that of the cock; 
the crest is full and round and not loose and straggling 
or shaggy. The fifth claw is large and turned upwards, 
as with the cock. If good birds are procured to start 
with, they should breed very true to the marks; but if 
long closely bred. they will in time become mixed in ap- 
pearance. 
The Crevecceur, like the Houdan, is named from the 
village in France in the neighborhood of which it has 
long been largely bred for market. These birds are re- 
markably stately and handsome, although somber in 
