PLUMAGE IN HEN-BIRDS. 



185 



In drawing more particular attention to this sub- 

 ject, I shall briefly relate such instances of the 

 change of plumage in the females of the domestic 

 fowl, as have fallen within my own knowledge. 



Mr Corham, who resides at Compton near Ply- 

 mouth, has, for a long series of years, possessed an 

 excellent' breed of game-fowls ; the cocks of which 

 are of a beautifully dark-red colour, and the hens of 

 a dusky brown. 



One hen of this breed was allowed to live as long 

 as possible, because her chickens became so renown- 

 ed in the battles of the cock-pit. When, however, 

 she had attained the age of fifteen years, she was 

 observed, after moulting, to have acquired some 

 arched cock's feathers in her tail, whilst others 

 (old feathers) remained straight and brown as form- 

 erly. By degrees, and during one moulting season, 

 the whole of her dusky plumage was thrown off, 

 and succeeded by a covering of red and more beau- 

 tiful feathers, quite like those of the cocks of her 

 own breed. In the course of the single season, the 

 ehange was so fully accomplished, that, as she walk- 

 ed about, any stranger might have pronounced her 

 rather to have been a cock than a hen. Spurs 

 likewise sprouted out on her legs ; she acquired a 

 comb and wattles on her head, and even crowed 

 hoarsely, not unlike a young cock. 



Her wattles were, however, cut off afterwards, for 

 the purpose of making her look like a fighting-cock. 



