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The Illustrated Book of Poultry , 
on the ends or tips of the feathers on the breast and under parts of the body; this is to be 
avoided as far as possible — the more uniform the colour the better. 
The breeding of Golden-pencilled Hamb-rghs is in all respects the same as that first 
described for Silver-pencilled, allowing for the difference in ground-colour. The same 
markings on the feathers of the cock described at page 378 are to be sought exactly. 
"'When hatched, Golden-pencilled chickens are a buff colour, darker than the Silvers, with a 
few black spots about the head. The Silvers are a pale buff. They show the pencilling in their 
first feathers, the cockerels being pencilled nearly like the pullets. Some breeders prefer to select 
a cockerel for breeding in either variety at this stage, and no doubt the character of the pencilling 
he will breed with good hens can be readily seen in this way. The full beauty of the marking 
does not however show itself till the second or adult plumage makes its appearance. 
“ Both varieties of Pencilled Hamburghs are delicate, and should not therefore be hatched 
before April. In the case of the Silver variety there is another reason for not hatching early, in the 
fact that if earlier they often moult out like old hens at the time they ought to be laying, and 
thereby lose that sharp and rich pencilling for which the pullets are almost always superior. It is 
rather rare, for the same reason, to see females of the pencilled varieties shown beyond the first 
year, and those good enough must be of unusual excellence. 
BLACK HAMBURGHS. — “This variety,” Mr. Beldon writes, “had long been known in 
Lancashire previously to the poultry-showing era, but the fowl we possess at present without doubt 
has some Spanish blood in its composition. This cross was introduced to obtain the white ear-lobe, 
which was, and is, so very desirable ; but the drawback was the white face introduced with it, and 
which would show itself for a long time. By careful breeding, however, this has been to a great 
extent bred out, and the majority of the birds shown at the present day have red faces. Of course, 
the white face will now and then crop up, even now, but it is a blemish, and one the judges wall 
not tolerate. 
“ This variety is, perhaps, one of the most useful fowls we have. It lays as frequently as the 
other Hamburghs, but the egg is much larger, probably on account of its relation to the Spanish. 
Being a black fowl, it can also be kept in the neighbourhood of towns, provided only there be 
the good-sized grass-run which is needed to do justice to this as to all the other varieties of 
Hamburghs. In size it is larger than the others, although different birds vary, and size is not very 
essential if of fair average and symmetrical in make. In shape they should resemble the Spangled 
Hamburghs, and not be thin and stilty like the Spanish, a point which always shows a bad descent. 
The legs are a dark leaden blue the first year, which gradually becomes a slaty blue ; the comb, 
face, ear-lobes, and eyes should resemble the Spangled Hamburghs. The colour is a rich satiny 
green black, the greener and richer the colour the better; and this green gloss should be uniform, 
and not showing on the end of the feather only, but throughout the plumage. This beautiful gloss 
shows itself more in the hens than in the cock, which is contrary to the usual rule. To be seen 
to advantage they should be viewed in a good light, or when the sun is upon them ; you then see 
that beautiful sheen in which they surpass all other black fowls. Some are purple or raven black, 
but the colour required is the green black. 
“ The chickens when hatched are white from the tnroat downwards to the under part of 
the body, the rest black. As a rule, they do not become thoroughly black till they get into their 
second plumage.” 
Other breeders exceedingly dislike the Spanish cross, though we must say that half the birds 
exhibited show evident traces of it. The Rev. W. Serjeantson has long been known as a special 
