26 



CHAPTEE IV. 



THE DIFFBEENT BEEEDS AND OOLOUES. 



'he list of breeds and colours here given may be con- 

 sidered absolutely reliable. It was published early in 

 the present century, owing to a disagreement as to 

 terms, &c., when the match bills were made out on the occasion of 

 the main of T. Bourne against Flemming at the Cock-pit Eoyal, 

 Flamming disregarding the provincial terms of the Cheltenham 

 men. On the weighing night, at a supper given at the " Cock and 

 Tabor," at which many experts were present (among others Nash (2), 

 Varley, Woodcock, Clarke, Martin, Bourne, and Flemming), the 

 matter was discussed, and, to simplify matters, a uniform list of 

 colours was drawn up, discarding provincial names and undesirable 

 crosses, and fixing the originals. It is said that every proposition 

 was assented to or negatived by a show of hands, the only point 

 in which the experts were entirely unanimous was in placing the 

 Black red before all others in merit of purity of blood. The follow- 

 ing is the list copied from the original MS. and sent me by a 

 well-known authority on game fowls, to whose kindness I am 

 indebted for much information here given. 



LIST OF OOLOUES. 



BEDS. 



1. Black breasted blackred — black eyes, beaks, and legs, gipsy 

 faced. 



2. Black breasted dark red — ^dark eyes, beaks, and legs. 



3. Black breasted light red — red, yellow, or daw eyes, white, 

 yellow, or carp legs, secondaries when closed chestnut. 



4. Streaky breasted ginger red — red, yellow, or daw eyes, white, 

 yellow, or carp legs, wing secondaries chestnut. 



5. Brown breasted brown red — dark eyes, dark or bronzy legs. 



