Minorcas. 
305 
General Description of the Minorca Hen. — The hen should resemble the cock in eyes, beak, legs, and 
feet. The comb should be of good size, well, evenly and deeply serrated, and well folded along the side of 
the head, though not folded so much as to obstruct the sight — a large, flabby comb that hangs lifeless should 
be discouraged, as the latter often causes partial blindness. The serrations in the comb should be five ot 
six in number. The ear-lobes should be smooth and fine in texture, free from folds or wrinkles, but as large 
as possible ; the shape should resemble an almond as much as possible. The neck should be long and 
nicely arched, the shoulders broad and square, the back long and broad. The body should be square and 
deep, with well-developed breast, somewhat resembling the Dorking hen in shape, though, having longer legs, 
this appearance is slightly detracted from. The carriage should be smart and active. The tail should be 
well carried back, the feathers of the tail well venetianed and carried closely. The plumage should be hard 
and close and very lustrous ; fluffy or loose plumage is highly objectionable. 
For the following notes on this variety we are indebted to Mr. J. B. Crawford, of " Broomward," 
Alphington, Victoria. Mr. Crawford writes : — 
" The Minorcas exhibited have greatly improved of late years in the Australasian Colonies, 
owing to the importations of some of the best prize-winners from the Old Country. Formerly, good 
birds were few, and these were in the hands of a Hmited number of Fanciers. I think that Victoria 
may justly claim to be the headquarters for Australia of the Minorca, but lately the other Colonies 
have shown greater interest in them, and many first-rate specimens have been sent from Victoria to all the 
other Australasian colonies. There are plenty of so-called Minorcas to be found all over the country, but 
they have more claim to be styled ' Black Leghorns ' as far as size and type go. There is a great deal of 
difference in type between the two breeds, the Minorca being taller and heavier, and longer in the back than 
the Leghorn. The tail should be carried rather lower than the last-named breed ; they should also be fall 
in the breast, not cut away like the Andalusian, and have rather meaty combs and long wattles. One of the 
chief signs of breeding is the dark eye, also dark legs if they can be obtained. The last point is rare indeed 
in most prize-winners, many birds of otherwise great merit failing in this point. However dark their legs may 
have been when exhibited in the young classes, it is seldom, if ever, that an old bird retains the colour of 
leg. White in face used to prevail in the Minorca, but now there are some good strains in which that defect 
rarely appears. I have noticed in some illustrations of recent English winning cockerels that they are too 
scant in tail A good, full tail, is a great acquisition to this handsome and useful variety of poultry." 
The following notes are kindly supplied by Mr. Harold Cadell, " Wotonga," Beecroft, N.S.W. 
Mr. Cadell states : — 
" My experience of Minorcas is not as lengthy as some, but there are few more ardent admirers 
of the ' Black Beauties.' Some four years ago I first had to do with them, and from what I have 
since learnt to know as a real Minorca, those birds were better than what I was then assured were the right 
thing. Those I discarded in the first instance were upstanding Fowls of fair size, and the hens could walk 
along with head up — the proper carriage of the Minorca Fowl. Well, I was assured that such were no good, 
and so disposed of the whole of my stock, and obtained some of the strain that was then winning at all 
Sydney shows — birds on low legs, heavy, flabby combs that were in many cases almost innocent of serrations, 
as well as a positive cruelty and disfigurement to the hen. These I kept and bred until I saw some real 
Minorcas exhibited by Mr. Norman, of Victoria, at the Newcastle Poultry, Pigeon, Canary and Dog Society's 
Show, and am now pleased to state that our yards are clear of any of the flabby-combed strain. Our hens' 
combs now show the clearly-cut, deeply-serrated comb carried in such a manner that the hen can walk 
upright, and not 'scoot' about with her head almost touching the ground, and her tail up Hke those whose 
heads are ' adorned ' (?) with a huge piece of red meat. Perhaps older and more experienced Minorca 
breeders will consider me presumptuous ; well, to them I say, ' Go, buy and read " Harrison's Minorca 
Fowl," also "The Minorca Fowl," by F. Biggs. Look up the ideal Minorca, as pictured therein, and I am 
sure those who like Minorcas will be with me. Those who prefer a black Leghorn type, well, let them breed 
u 
