Black Minorcas. 
35 7 
and compact, the back being', however, rather long as well as broad ; wings moderate in size and 
neat ; the breast is full. The plumage is black, and glossy as possible — largely a question of 
condition. Thighs, legs, and feet medium length and rather stout, with four toes only, and black 
or dark slate in colour. Tail full, with good sickles carried well back, and whole carriage upright 
and graceful. The hen will correspond in most points, but her ear-lobes are rather more rounded 
than in the cock, and her comb is carried over one side of the face, dropping well down, but well 
arched, tip evenly serrated, and large, also slightly rough in texture like the cock’s. The weights 
of each sex as above stated. 
This description, which is simply the Club’s definition standard rendered in descriptive style, 
is undoubtedly a good one, and well calculated to preserve the valuable qualities of this fowl, so 
far as a standard can do so. Thus to preserve the breed, however, will require care, for the 
attempt to breed exaggerated points has several times done perceptible mischief. The first 
tendency was to breed exaggerated combs and wattles ; and the late Mr. Hewitt once pointed out 
to us a pen of Minorcas, to which he had given first prize in a variety class as “ the best he had 
ever seen,” because of the immense combs and wattles, the latter being in the cock over six inches 
long. We consider it beyond doubt that large combs and wattles have an intimate connection 
with laying powers ; but such exaggerated appendages are a severe tax upon the bird’s nervous 
and muscular energy, hinder proper feeding, and are peculiarly liable both to frost-bite, and to a 
specially obstinate kind of indolent ulceration in the creases. We are glad to see, not only in the 
standard, but in the judging of the classes, that this evil seems checked, and that only large 
combs and wattles, but in moderation, are now sought. 
The next mistake, and one still not abandoned, was to enlarge and broaden the white ear- 
lobe, and to lay far too much stress in competition upon its size and smoothness. To get this, 
Spanish crosses were sometimes employed, and either from that, or even from natural tendencies 
accompanying such a line of action, most evident signs of white face became apparent on every 
side. The evil thus done to the breed was very great. The necessity of selecting birds with large 
white lobes and yet without white face, so narrowed selection as to produce perceptibly more deli- 
cacy of constitution from in-breeding, and a less supply of eggs. To remedy these evils, probably, 
the Minorca has latterly been crossed with the Langshan ; in fact, amongst exhibitors this cross 
has been almost universal, though in most cases it is probably unknown, and introduced from other 
supposed pure-bred Minorca stock. We carefully examined the large classes at the Crystal 
Palace Show of 1892, and found undeniable evidence of Langshan blood in rather more than half 
the pens. It may be seen in stature to some extent ; but more specifically in size of shank, in the 
scaling of the shank, and in not a few cases even in the peculiar crimson Langshan colour between 
the scales ; also in the character of the head and comb. In some cases we know that the 
Orpington rather than the pure Langshan has been the medium of the cross. It has undoubtedly 
done good upon the whole, and prevented much evil from in-breeding that would otherwise have 
followed mischief already done ; yet it is not desirable to carry on such crossing ad infinitum , and 
we enter a strong appeal for a fowl we have known from childhood, and one of the best we have, 
that it may be preserved as it is by judicious breeding and judging. The lobe is now described as 
“almond-shaped.” That will do very well, and can be bred ; but we are sorry to say it does not 
fairly represent the prize birds very often seen even to-day. There is an obvious tendency still to 
breed and judge for the broad and rounded lobe of the Spanish, which will be fatal if indulged in. 
There has been a further tendency at times to be too particular about combs, and breeders 
have advocated that neither more nor less than “ five spikes” should prevail. We cannot stigmatise 
this too strongly, and it is not only absurd, but would have condemned half the best male birds at 
