3SS 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry, 
stand up well upon their legs, but yet without showing the whole of the thigh, like Game. The 
head should be small and neat. Judges do not seem to care about the colour of the eyes, but I 
myself much prefer a full dark eye to a lighter-coloured one. The neck-hackles should be long, 
flowing well over the shoulders and back. The tail should be long, full, and sound-feathered, 
cairied well up, but not too forward, a squirrel-tail being very objectionable. 
‘ Mr. Tegetmeier has stated that their combs are better formed than those of any other 
double-combed breed ; but that, I think, is an opinion which will not be endorsed by Black 
Hamburgh breeders, who all find the comb one of their difficulties. The combs of pullets especially 
are apt to ‘go over,' as they approach the period of laying ; but still, with care in the selection 
of stock-birds, this is a difficulty which may with certainty be surmounted. 
“ The ear-lobe is a very striking feature in a Black Hamburgh. It is allowed to be a little 
larger than in the other breeds ; but it must be pure white, round, smooth, like a piece of a 
white kid glove, lying close to the head, not long and pendent, not puffy, not wrinkled, nor 
edged with red. 
“ The face should be brilliant crimson, almost scarlet, or deep carmine ; a dark gipsy-face being 
a great blemish, and a white face altogether a disqualification. Both Spangled and Pencilled 
Hamburghs are subject to white face, as well as the Blacks, but in the latter it is much more 
common ; white patches under the eye and near the ear-lobe frequently making their appearance, 
especially when a bird is out of condition or old. Indeed, it is rare to find a two or three- 
year-old cock quite free from it. But this is another fault, which may be obviated entirely by 
careful breeding. 
“ The legs should be of a dark leaden hue ; they get lighter with age, but in a young bird a 
light-coloured leg is to be avoided. 
“A Black Hamburgh, if a good specimen, is a most attractive bird. The bright crimson 
comb and face, the snowy ear-lobe, and the lustrous green of the plumage, form altogether a 
tout ensemble such as no one can see without admiring. Indeed, I have often been surprised 
to hear lady visitors, when looking through my yards, express greater admiration for the Blacks 
than the Silver-spangled Hamburghs ; these latter being, to my mind, the most striking of all 
fowls at first glance. 
“ In a Black Hamburgh cock the breast, back, shoulders, and tail should be of a rich green, 
the brighter the better ; the wing-coverts (which form the bar of the Spangled Hamburghs), 
exceedingly brilliant ; and the outer web of the secondaries — i.e., the whole of the lower part of the 
closed wing — almost as bright ; the lesser tail-coverts are also very rich in colour. 
“ There are two distinct shades of colour. Some strains are of a deep blue green, almost a steel- 
blue — these have green tails ; other strains are of a lighter green — 'these have bronze green tails. 
I much prefer these latter myself ; but anyway, the purer the green, and the less admixture of 
purple or any other tint, the better. Many birds are more or less pencilled with bluish purple, or, 
as the Lancashire fanciers call it, ‘mazarine hens chiefly on the back, and cocks on the flights 
and tail. I believe it is sometimes caused by weakness or ill-health at the time of the growth of 
the feather, as I have known birds, which as chickens were quite free from this defect, show it after 
a late or protracted moult ; but more often it is hereditary, and I should not care to breed from a 
bird which showed it to any extent. The hackle and saddle should be deep black, the longest 
feathers having the centre or main part bright green, and the outer edges or ‘hackly’ part of the 
feather (so to speak) black ; the thighs and under parts also black. I think I ought to add that it 
is rare to find a cock as richly coloured as I have described, very few showing much colour on the 
breast or hackle. The hen should be of a bright glossy green throughout, especially on the wings 
