374 



POULTRY CULTURE 



Fig. 368. Silver- Spangled Hamburg cockerel 



the Spangled Hamburgs in America are usually larger than the 



others ; they are also plumper-bodied, suggesting kinship to the 



Polish. The plumage 

 of the golden variety is 

 a dark bay ground with 

 a black spangle at the 

 tip of each feather, ex- 

 cept that the hackle and 

 saddle of the male have 

 a black stripe and the 

 tail is black. The silver 

 variety has black span- 

 gles on a white ground 

 throughout. 



Black Hamburgs. 

 The Black Hamburg 

 was probably made in 

 England by crossing 



the Black Game on the Golden-Spangled Hamburg. 



White Hamburgs. The White Hamburg is said to have been 



produced in America by systematic breeding of the lightest-colored 



Silver-Penciled Hamburgs. 



Note. Before the Leghorns 

 became known in America, Ham- 

 burgs were quite popular, sharing 

 with other known races of the lay- 

 ing type the favor of those who 

 preferred fowls of that type. In 

 disposition they are more nervous 

 than the Leghorn and less easily 

 restrained. In general they have 

 been considered as good layers as 

 Leghorns though producing smaller 

 eggs. The numbers kept now are 

 not sufficient to afford any reliable 

 indications of differences in laying 

 properties in the varieties of Ham- 

 burgs, if there are such differences. The spangled varieties, particulariy the silver, 

 are very plump and meaty when matured. With a great deal of merit, they are 

 still inferior to the Mediterranean races of their type, and have generally been 

 displaced by them except as they are bred by fanciers for their color and style. 



Fig. 369. Silver-Spangled Hamburg pullet 



