The Poultry- ^Exhibition at Madrid. 67 



Castilian type which we saw was at the State Agricultural 

 College at Manclou, a few miles from Madrid, These were, 

 with one or two exceptions, entirely black in plumage, and 

 built on what may be termed Minorca lines, except that they 

 were much smaller in comb, and not so deep or round in 

 body as are the English bred specimens. In fact, but that 

 they were red in face and had smaller combs, they followed 

 very nearly the shape of the English Black Spanish in buil 

 and frame. But whilst the Manclou fowls were, as a flock, 

 the best we saw, the same class was seen in the several 

 provinces visited, and the efforts of the Ministry of Agri- 

 culture and the Spanish Poultry Society are evidently, and 

 wisely we think, to be put forward in dissemination and 

 improvement of this class. To do so they are looking to 

 secure stock from England, and this is another instance in 

 which we have improved a breed to send it back to its native 

 land with Strengthened and highly developed qualities. Our 

 breeders should, therefore, endeavour to take advantage of 

 the opportunity offered ; but we should strongly urge them 

 not to export the huge combed specimens too often seen in 

 our shows, but such birds as are less pronounced in this 

 respect and close in plumage. On the banner and badges of 

 the society named, the Minorca is shown as the model for 

 Spanish breeders. 



Reference has already been made to the introduction of 

 foreign races, and in the Show several Spanish exhibitors 

 were represented by other than the Spanish fowl noted above. 

 Many of these had evidently been imported specially for the 

 Show, and British varieties of poultry were largely in 

 evidence. We were interested in seeing a fowl which is said 

 to be specially suitable to the Barcelona district, where it is 

 stated to be bred extensively. This is called the Prat fowl, 

 but whether it yet deserves a distinctive name is open to 

 question, as it is very uncertain in colour of plumage and 

 evidently has not been selected with care. The size is much 

 larger than the Castilian breed, it is heavier in bone and 

 shorter in the leg. All the specimens in the Show had a buff 

 tinge in the plumage, but one specimen was very nearly like 

 a moderate Buff Orpington, having white legs and feet. 



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