Ancon as, or Mottled Spanish. 
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ANCONAS. — This variety resembles the preceding in the general shape which marks all the 
Spanish tribes, the large comb, upright in the cock and falling over in the hen, and the large 
wattles and ear-lobes. The face is red, approximating it to the Minorca rather than the Spanish 
type ; but the plumage is “ Cuckoo” or Dominique in colour, the general effect of which, and the 
marking of individual feathers, are accurately represented in the chapter on American breeds. 
We entertain scarcely any doubt that the origin of Anconas is to be found in accidental 
“sports” of this colour from crossing Black and White Minorcas. Black and white being readily 
interchanged, and White Minorcas being rather scarce, the latter have to our knowledge been often 
crossed with Black, most of the produce being Black or White. The result of crossing any very 
dark fowl with White is, however, often productive of a certain number of this “ Cuckoo” marking, 
(we have seen this already in crossing the Dark-grey with White Dorkings), and the “ prepotency,” 
as Mr. Darwin calls it, of this colour, when once produced, makes its transmission even from a 
recent cross comparatively easy. 
Anconas are always scarce ; but we generally see a pen every two or three years, and they 
could be easily perpetuated if desired. They are generally “good for a prize” in the “Any 
Variety” class, and look decidedly attractive in a pen if of at all good points and quality. In the 
only case where we were able to make personal inquiry, the owner — an innkeeper, whose hostelry 
rejoiced in a name which must surely have conveyed the idea of Paradise to these lucky birds, 
being no other than “ The Wheat sheaf ” — informed us they were hardy, and “ no end at laying.” Of 
course! how could they help it in such happy circumstances ? These qualities, taken in conjunction 
with their scarcity, would be almost conclusive in favour of their origin in some cross ; and a 
further corroborative argument may be found in the fact that all the specimens we can remember 
to have seen have had shorter legs than any other variety or sub-variety of Spanish. 
Birds have been exhibited under the name of Anconas of other colours than that described, 
We have known birds splashed black and white called by that name, and even brown and red birds, 
almost the colour of Black-red Game. Such have, however, in every case, presented the general 
characteristics of mongrels, and have no claim whatever to the title of a distinct breed, though the 
latter colour named suggests some inquiry as to the origin of Brown Leghorns. 
LEGHORNS. — We have already remarked that these birds present nearly all the 
characteristics of the Spanish race ; but as they differ in some important respects, shall defer 
the consideration of them to our special chapter upon American breeds. 
It will have been seen that all the Spanish varieties agree in the principal characteristics 
of general shape, large combs, absence of the incubating instinct, and the abundant laying of 
large white eggs. These point conclusively to a common origin, while the various differences are 
obviously owing to the art of man, as in other varieties of fowls. The facts would seem to show 
that in this district the most extensive, if not the earliest, cultivation of fowls primarily for eggs 
took place ; and it is remarkable that this should have been in the most central portions of 
the Roman empire. Egg-laying has further been specially cultivated in Catholic countries, for 
obvious reasons, France being another instance in point. At all events, all the breeds in this 
chapter, and the Leghorns, are obviously only varieties of one great Mediterranean race of poultry. 
Most of the crosses make capital layers, the best in our opinion being that between the 
Minorca and the Langshan, bred either way, which is very hardy and an enormous layer. Both 
this cross and that with the Cochin or Brahma make capital sitters. The cross with the IToudan 
produces a nondescript bird which often lays enormously, but usually sits at least once a year. In 
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