154 THE COMPLETE POULTRY BO OK. 



care in the selection of the brood stock, the chickens spoi-t into nearly every 

 variety of marking and ground-color. The only birds of this kind that I ever 

 knew to breed truly — so far as color was concerned — were purely white ones. 



" Extraordinary differences in point of size exist in these fowls; soilie spec- 

 imens range as heavily as six and a half to seven pounds each ; others do not 

 exceed two and a half or three pounds. Some have small lark-erests; others— 

 and these constitute the majority-»have none. As usually met with they appear 

 to possess no distinguishing foi^mation of comb ; rosy, cupped, and flat combs 

 being equally prevalent. There is, therefore, no positive standard that can be 

 laid down as the peculiarities of this variety save the one to which their name refers. 



" I now proceed to mention a stiU more perplexing proof of their versatility 

 of character ; a friend of mine purchased a successful pen at a poultry show, 

 taking them a^ay to a walk where no other fowls ever trespassed ; and yet the 

 chickens were, in a considerable number of instances, furnished with fully-de- 

 veloped tail-feathers, being not rumpless. On inquiry of the previous owner, 

 he stated : ' Mine have always done so from the time I first kept them ; but the 

 tailed birds wiU very probably produce rumpless chickens. ' Three such birds 

 were then purposely retained ; and they produced the next year, more than 

 twenty youngsters, all of which', but one, were rumplegs and. destitute of tail 

 feathers. The white ones I have before alluded to, occasionally produced 

 chickens that were not rumpless, but only rarely I believe Eumpless fowls to 

 be hardy, as even in exposed situations, on the sides of Welsh mountains, they 

 continue in good health and prosper well, even in cases where the fowls at all , 

 times shift for themselves, and but slight attention is shown to the chickens. 

 I can willingly add my testimony, likewise, to fhe good quality of a Bumpless 

 fowl on the dinner-table, the flesh being abundant, white, firm, and of good 

 flavor; but, as a drawback to their utility, it may be stated that all Bumpless 

 fowls are sadly prone to lay unfertilized eggs. " 



With regard to the above defect Mr. Tegetmeier states that it is purely 

 mechanical, and may be remedied by cutting away or shortening the drooping 

 saddle-feathers of the hens during the breeding season. 



CREEPERS. 



These fowls, known in Scotland as Dwmpies, or Scotch BaUes, and in France 

 as Courtespaites, are distinguished by their extremely short legs, the shank 

 bones of well bred birds frequentiy not exceeding two inches in length, in birds 

 weighing from five to seven pounds. 



Although a good fowl, being docile, good- at laying and sitting, and superior- 

 for the table, this breed is now but little cultivated. It would seem, however, 

 to be worthy of attention as a means of reducing the tendency in some other 

 breeds to \>ecome leggy. 



BLACK RUSSIANS. 



This breed, though recognized by the Stomdaird, is extremely rare. It seems 

 to have been first introduced into the United States by way of New OrlcMS, and 

 to have traveled thence up the Mississippi to Iowa. It hag sobscquentty been 

 imported into Connecticut. 



