350 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
Bred in confinement as they were, many of the best birds often showed a tendency to fall over 
in the comb, and needed artificial help. Mr. Roue invented a mode of fastening the “wire” which 
is still employed by Spanish fanciers, who would now consider such a hole in the comb as men- 
tioned by Mr. Teebay a regular piece of “ bungling,” irritating the bird, as well as being very appa- 
rent to a critical eye. Mr. Roue’s support is represented in Fig. 81. The wire is all made in one 
piece, the centre of which is at A, at the back of the base of the comb. The part from A to B is 
shaped to fit the base of the comb and top of the skull, when drawn forward as far as the comb 
will permit ; then the corners B must exactly reach the nostrils, whence the wire curves upward and 
back on each side, at a height which just reaches to the base of the spikes in the comb, and not 
quite to the back, where it opens a little, so as not to chafe the comb. The wire is bound round 
with red worsted to prevent sores. In putting on, the cartilage between the cock’s nostrils is 
pierced with a needle, which does not appear to give any pain whatever, the part seeming devoid 
of feeling, and being in fact little more than a thin horny plate. The base, A B, of the wire being 
then firmly bedded on the head, and drawn forward as far as it will go, a bit of twine is passed 
through the nostrils and corners B, and tied in a firm knot over the nostrils, but not binding them 
too tightly. The ends should be cut off close, and the cock kept away from the hens, or they will 
peck the knot loose and get off the apparatus. A wire thus put on does not appear to distress 
or even annoy a bird in the least, while it is quite as secure as one fastened through the 
comb itself, if carefully fitted and adjusted. The wire was invented originally for use during 
sickness or moulting, when the comb often shrivels up and falls over, and sometimes never 
recovers its original beauty. It was kept a secret for some time, but somehow leaked out and 
became the property of others, being often abused to an extent never contemplated by Mr. Roue, 
and largely used to support combs which would have been hopeless without such assistance. 
Many birds required it pretty frequently, especially when returning from a show ; and we can 
remember one cock in particular, which won almost everywhere some years since, and which 
rarely had the wire off except when at exhibitions, or got ready for the inspection of some other 
amateur: his comb “would stand about a week” — just long enough for a show — and no more. 
This bird was an example of the fault referred to by Mr. Teebay, the comb being too large for 
just proportion, to which no doubt the weakness was attributable. Used as designed by the 
inventor, for temporary support during critical periods, we can testify from personal observation 
that such a wire as figured above is of the greatest utility — but we have long since been equally 
convinced, from what we have seen in various yards, that the extensive use of such artificial helps — 
or rather, we should say, the abuse of them — to assist naturally flabby combs, rather than the 
careful attention to breeding good ones, always reaps its legitimate reward in the perpetuation 
