Characteristics of S rakish. 
345 
to exhibit ; but the cockerels were exceedingly useful to breed from with the larger-faced hens of 
other strains. 
“ The combs of the cocks as now generally exhibited are very much too large. Nearly all 
these large combs have to be supported by cardboard, wire, or some other apparatus, put on to 
keep them upright. Such overgrown combs may occasionally be seen at exhibitions with very 
small holes through them, showing where a thread has been through to fasten the cardboard or 
whatever else has been used to keep them straight and upright. The worst of these large combs is, 
that during the confinement before a show, or even during the exhibition itself, they become 
larger and softer, and fall over; entailing almost continual punishment on the bird by his having to 
wear a head-gear he does not like, and endless trouble and disappointment to the owner, besides 
vexation to the judge — for the latter occasionally finds he has given perhaps the first prize to a 
bird which, though he carried his comb as straight and upright as possible when he awarded the 
prize to him, only a few hours after carries it entirely on one side. 
“ The face of the cock should be entirely free from coarseness ; for in the very coarse, lumpy- 
faced birds, the white as they get older will close up the eye so as to prevent a bird from seeing. 
When this arises from the white under the eye getting so puffed out as to prevent the lids from 
opening, a piece of the white may be cut out, so as to allow the eye to open freely. Cockerels with 
the white over the eye running to an angle towards the back part of the face, have very often the 
sight destroyed in the second year by the white over the eye growing down. As this part cannot be 
cut without disfiguring the bird, a piece of thread is put through a small portion of the white above 
the eye, passed close to the back of the comb over the top of the head to the other side, and through 
a corresponding portion of the eye there ; this is then tied so as to raise the white on both sides, and 
leave the sight unobstructed. 
“ The Spanish cock’s beak should be long and stout, and of a deep horn-colour. The comb 
should be bright red, single, firm, and well set on the head, so as not to shake about — thick at the 
base, and so gradually thinner to the edge ; perfectly erect, straight, and free from twist either in 
front or any other part. It should rise from the beak between the fore-part of the nostrils, and 
extend in an arched form over the back part of the head, the under part at the back almost touching 
the top of the neck. It should be deeply serrated, the serrations beginning about an inch from the 
beak, and being small in front, gradually increasing in size until they reach the higher part. The 
head should be large altogether, being both long, broad, and very deep-sided ; the eyes large, 
perfectly free, and open. The face and ear-lobe should be of the purest white, and the texture soft 
and delicate, like the finest white kid ; smooth, and free from ridges or folds, the sight being perfectly 
free, and not obstructed by the white. The white should reach well on to the beak in front, and rise 
over the eye close to the base of the comb in an arched form, and extend well towards the back of 
the head, the further over and behind the ear the better, and continuing to extend, without any 
break in the line, towards the back of the upper part of the neck. The ear-lobe also should be as 
long, broad, and open as possible, spreading out on the neck perfectly free from folds, and hanging 
down very low ; not in any degree narrowing to a point, but preserving its width well until neatly 
rounded on the bottom ; coming up again in front of the neck, and joining the wattles, which last 
should be bright red, long, and thin ; the inside of the upper part and the skin betwixt, or 
throat, white. 
“ A good Spanish cock is something to be proud of ; in shape and carriage there is no fowl 
except the Game that can equal him. The neck is rather long and gracefully arched, with the 
hackle abundant, and reaching well on to his shoulders. The breast is prominent and most beauti- 
fully rounded, and the body neatly narrowing to the tail, with the wings close up to the body. He 
