FRENCH BBEEDS. 45 



black birds, with large crests on their heads, in the front of which 

 are situated the two horns, or spikes, which arise from the 

 bifurcation of the comb. They give the bird a very curious 

 look, and make his head resemble the pictures of that of his 

 Satanic majesty. The birds are well shaped, with rather large 

 legs of a leaden/ grey color. The hens lay large white eggs, 

 but are not good sitters. The pullets mature early, and as they 

 lay soon, put on fat Tead^y, and are of a good shape for table ; 

 they are, in dry warmlooalities, profitable fowls to keep; they 

 bear confinement well, but are rather difficult to rear, and have 

 a decided tendency to "roup.,' If crossed with Brahmas or 

 Jjeghoms they might probably become more hardy. 



LA FLECHE FOWLS. 



These birds may be' considered, I tl^nk, the best of the 

 French fbwls for table ; they are also more hardy than the 

 CrevecoBurs, and have more size and more style, being 

 handsome, upstanding birds, in color jet black, with richi me- 

 tallic plumage; their ear lobes are large and perfectly white, 

 their faces bright red and free from feathers. The comb in 

 good well-bred birds does not vary with the sex, and is in the 

 shape of a pair of straight horns; the leg-scales are lead color, 

 hard and firm. The cocks are tall without being at all leggy; 

 the hens have large and rather long bodies, longish necks, and 

 thin clean legs. The best specimens come from the North of 

 France, though they are not even there easy to procure, as the 

 French do not go in for keeping the different breeds of fowls ( 

 distinct, so it is hard to obtain really pure-bred birds. 



