282 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
varieties which are quite the equal, and in many instances superior, in this qualification, and partly may be 
attributed to the craze for Fancy points, which attacked the breeders of this famous Fowl to its detriment, 
with the result that they are not now nearly so generally kept as a quarter of a century back. As a layer of 
large-sized eggs it is still questionable if any variety of Poultry can surpass the Spanish, and in appearance 
none look more aristocratic. The actual origin of the Spanish Fowl is still a matter for conjecture, but 
Fowls in which minor differences only are observable are found all around the coast of the Mediterranean, 
the whole of the varieties having one well-defined characteristic in common— that of the absence of the 
incubating instinct. 
To Mr. Samuel Harkness, of the Jesmond Poultry Farm, Riverstone, N.S.W., we are indebted for the 
following remarks. Mr. Harkness writes : — 
" White-Faced Black Spanish have a stilty, proud appearance, standing very high on the leg. Their 
general carriage being measured and stately, and coupled with the peculiar and constant manner of shaking 
the head and wattles, give them, when in condition, a most attractive appearance. The white face and lobes 
also lend an additional charm to their ensemble, but the latter point has been developed and fostered to 
such a great degree that in many specimens, that which is in modification a beautiful and characteristic trait, 
has become a monstrosity, some birds becoming quite carunculated in face, the white growing over and 
closing the eyes. 
*' There is no denying the fact that the popularity of the Spanish Fowl is decidedly on the down grade, 
and if something is not soon done the classes for Spanish will be effaced from every schedule in the 
Australian Colonies. This would be a deplorable state of affairs, as the breed has many excellent qualifications 
outside of mere Fancy requirements. The Spanish Light-Brahma Cross gives an excellent laying Fowl of 
fine frame and size, active in habits, and not without merit for table purposes. The cross with the Malay 
produces one of the finest Fowls possible, nearly always of brilliant black plumage, good layers, and high up 
as a Table Fowl, so that the breed should be fostered to a greater extent than it unfortunately is at present. 
Possibly the secret of the breed's present unpopularity lies in the vexed question of the trimming the birds' 
faces require for exhibition, and which, if skilfully done, would pass an expert. This scientific art of 
trimming (which can only be gained by actual study and practical experience) prevents many taking up the 
breed, thus becoming one, if not the principal, reason detrimental to its popularity. The wide difference in 
appearance between an untrimmed and trimmed bird is certainly a severe handicap on the former in the 
Show pen. The hairy feathers on the face are generally removed by the aid of tweezers. This considerably 
improves the appearance of the bird ; but there are many who would not think of breeding birds that 
required this sort of proceeding to give them a possible chance in the Show pen, and is without doubt the 
opinion of Fanciers outside the Spanish Fancy, and so long as this practice is allowed this beautiful breed is 
doomed to remain in the hands of a few, the numbers of which are growing less each successive year. 
Another cause is that breeders of this variety have sacrificed almost every distinctive character of the 
breed— style, length of limb, and the sprightliness that formerly characterised the breed — and all for what? 
Mere quantity of the white face, with the outcome that cocks, and even cockerels, are bred and exhibited 
with their eyes almost closed up (and often quite closed) through the white growing and obstructing the 
sight, and they present a most miserable and pitiable appearance in the Show pen or yard. The only plan 
to obviate this unfortunate state of affairs is to do away with these abnormal white faces, substituting quality 
for quantity . At present, a breeder to be successful, must produce birds with plenty of white in face, so 
that in breeding for this exaggerated point for some years the birds become nearly or quite blind, and this 
often requires the growth cut away from the eyes of young cockerels when they are about six months old. 
" In breeding Spanish for Exhibition purposes, and even more so where the birds mated together are 
alien in blood, the best and most satisfactory results will be obtained by selecting the brood cock or cockerel 
with the smoothest face that can be procured, and mating him with hens that are rather rough and large in 
face, though at the same time it will often require breeding in and in again before birds will be produced fit 
for Standard requirements. It is an undoubted fact that most of the very best strains of Spanish have beeri 
