120 THE COMPLETE POULTRY BOOK. 



The chickens are hardy, feather early, and mature rapidly. (See illustration, '^ 

 page 117.) '^ 



CEBVBOCETIES. 



This breed belongs to Normandy, where it has been bred especially as a table 

 fowl for the Paris market. In France this fowl was so much esteemed "that at 

 the first great Agricultural Exhibition in Paris, in 1855, there were two equal 

 sets of prizes offered for the poultry exhibited ; the first for Crevecoenrs, the sec- 

 ond for all other varieties taken together.?' * They have not become so popular 

 in England and America, however, as they do not endure change of climate well, 

 being especially affected by cold, damp weather. 



In size the Crevecoeurs are large, the cocks weighing eight to ten pounds; they 

 are very short legged, the hens so much so as to appear almost like Creepers ; the 

 plumage is black, ort)lack and white, sometimes golden or silver colored in the 

 cocks; they have large tufts, and small, upright, two-horned comb's; they are" S 

 very tame, not inclined to sit, and only moderate layers. There is no doubt of 

 tlieir value as table fowls, but their lack of constitution and shyness in laying'*, 

 have prevented them becoming popular in this country. :•,;■■ 



LA FIjBCHE. 



This breed appears to be a cross between the Crevecceur and the Spanish fowls. 

 The plumage is black and close; the ear-lobes white — ^like the Spanish; the 

 combs two-horned, with the peculiarity of having two little studs or points just 

 in front of the nostrils ; the wattles are long and pendant, and the shanks black, 

 which interferes with their value as table fowls. Their size is about the same as ' 

 the Crevecoeurs, and the flesh is of fine quality. ' ' 



The La Fleche resemble the Spanish in being good layers, but poor sitters; ' 

 but they follow the Crevecoeurs in lack of constitution, hence they are notlikely '; 

 to become popular in this country, except, possibly in the Southern States. ' "■»« 



■ ■■ " ■"'^^•M 



BEEDAS, OE GtTELDEBS. 



This is another French breed, but is little known outside of its native distridt''*^' 

 The following account of it is given by Tegetmeier: " 



"Guelders are birds of medium size, with very full, prominent breasts, and 

 large, flowing tails. Their most' striking characteristics are iii the head, which 

 is ornamented with very large, pendant wattles, but is destitute of either feath' 

 ered crest or comb, unless the existence of one or two red points— which are 

 often entirely absent— can be regarded as the latter organ in a very rudimentary 

 condition. Their color is generally either gray, cuckoo, or pure black, but we 

 have seen them spangled, like a Golden Polish. 



"There is no doubt whatever that Guelders were originally a sport' from the 

 feather-crested Polish family. The black variety looks exactly like white-crested 

 black Polish, wanting the crest; there is the same form of body, fullness of chest, 

 largely developed, pendulous wattles, and nostrils flattened and deformed from 

 the absence of the inter-maxillary banes. 



