12 SPANISH FOWL, 



roosting-places therefore should face the south, a^d be well-pro- 

 tected from cold wipds, espeoially as they are subject to lorigand 

 protracted moultings. The cold affects their comb also, which 

 is sometimes frost-bitten, with a liability to mortification. 



The flesh of the Spanish Black fowl is juicy and of good flavor, 

 but not equal to that of the .' ' Dorking. ' ' The flesh of the White 

 Spanish is not considered so fine in flavor, as that of the Black, 

 yet it is not bad, especially if young. 



As layers they are among the best, but are seldom inclined to 

 sit ; they generally produce two eggs consecutively and then miss 

 a. day; 



As to healthiness, they are less liable to roup than Ughter- 

 colored birds; in fact, th^ Spanish fowl is less subject to disease - 



than are most of the common black varieties. 



V - 



In general they are rather quarrelsome, and are very averse to 



stf ange fowls, and if separated from each other even for two or 



three da^s, the hens will disagree seriously upoii beiag reunited. 



In case of a s'trange ten being tormented by her companions 

 for any length of time, so that she is afraid to come and feed with 

 them, or of the cook displaying his protracted dislike to her, It 

 will be right to remove her, or she may be reduced to so low a 

 condition as to render her unable to escape their persecutions, and 

 avoid death from their violence. 



The Spanish pullets commence laying when six or seven months 

 old, and occasionally sooner^ though some of them'commence 

 at a later period, ac<^ording to feeding and treatment. But pre- 

 mature fertility is not to be wished for, as it wUl frequently hap- 

 pen that pullets which commence very early, seldom lay when 

 fully grown so large an egg as those produce which do not lay 

 before they are eight months o1 d. Indeed the debilitating effects 

 of either premature, or continual laying in ripe age, as respects 

 the Spanish breed are now and then manifested by the loss.of the 



