34 



PILES. 



These birds have been notorious for their winning powers in the 

 pit, and are favourites with most sportsmen ; while the handsome 

 colours, together with their good laying qualities, should recommend 

 them to the fancier. It is said that the colour was introduced by 

 King Charles II., whose pile cock was very celebrated, they usually 

 had the credit of carrying a very deadly heel, and without having 

 quite so much gameness and staying power as some strains, were 

 exceedingly quick and dangerous to their opponents. The Earl of 

 Derby had a bird of this colour that won many battles ; while the 

 Cheshire Piles, with their peculiar mode of fighting, bore off most 

 of the honours of their day. The Mansell Piles too were very 

 famous also about that time. Pile game, like many other breeds, 

 were perfected by the closest in-breeding ; even the dark and light 

 varieties of the Cheshire Piles were kept to themselves, and when 

 crossed with other pile coloured birds generally deteriorated. 



SMOCK-BREASTED BLOOD-WING PILES. 



These cocks should resemble a bright coloured black breasted 

 red, except that the black is exchanged for white, and the bar 

 across the wing white. The hen is golden yellow in head and 

 neck, the latter striped with white, salmon red breast, the colour 

 of back and wings a clear creamy white ; frequently the shoulders 

 are marked slightly with red. This for exhibition is perhaps the 

 handsomest colour in piles, and they can with care be bred very 

 true, occasionally a black breasted red cross is necessary for these 

 high coloured ones, but not nearly so often as supposed. Black 

 breasted red cocks and pile hens usually throw bright coloured 

 cockerels, while good coloured pullets are sometimes bred from a 

 pile cock, and hens bred from a pile cock and blackred hen. "White 

 cocks and black breasted red hens also throw piles. 



STEEAKT BREASTED PILES. 



Some breeders prefer the streaky breasted birds. The streaky 

 breasted ginger pile is as described — that is with breast streaked 

 red, and the hackle and shoulders and saddle feathers a light ginger 

 red, legs should be yellow. The streaky breasted custard pile is 

 even lighter than the above, and the white ground should have a 

 creamy appearance; the hens of these varieties should be of the 

 same colour as the pile hen previously described, but corres- 

 pondingly lighter to match the cocks. 



