BBEEDS AXD CROSSES. 37 



undesirable, in that thoy arc far too much bred for 

 length of neck and legs to be useful for economic 

 purposes. Handsome they undoubtedly are, but 

 lacking in the qualities for which we are seeking. 

 We therefore turn our attention to the old-fashioned 

 type of Game — that is, the fighting cocks of days gone 

 by. These birds are short in the leg, have good square 

 bodies, with beautiful quality of meat. Some have 

 white legs, and these of course ^vould be preferred for 

 first-class table quality. There are several colours, 

 and no one can get far wrong — the Black Beds being 

 often preferred, as they are amongst the largest. We 

 have recently noticed, however, a tendency to rather 

 lengthen the log of these birds, and trust that it will 

 not continue, for to do so will be at the expense of 

 breast qualities, as in the case of Modern Game. Pure- 

 bred Game fowls are not recommended for marketing 

 purposes. Nothing can be finer for the supply of 

 one's own table, and if this were the object they can 

 be selected without fear. But the flesh is a little too 

 close, hard, and dark for placing upon the market, 

 where something softer is desired. The chief value 

 of the Old English type of Game, as of the Indian 

 Game, is for crossing purposes. 



In France the two principal breeds are the La 

 Pleche and the La Bresse, the former of which is 

 bred in Normandy and the latter in the departments 

 of Ain and Saone-et-Loire. 



La Pleche. In the La Sarthe district of France are 

 found many of the best breeds of national poultry, and 

 that is the home of this varietj', which is the doyen 

 of ordinary French table fowls. At the great Paris 



