4 [ 6 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
fai and as soon as possible. It is very desirable, for the sake of constitution, to breed only 
from mature birds. 
Besides the Black breed, Blue Crevecceurs are occasionally seen, but are of inferior beauty. 
Of late, however, some very handsome White specimens have been shown. These were originally 
produced as mere “ sports ” from the Black, but have been bred from with fair success, and there 
seems every probability of our speedily possessing a well-established and very beautiful White 
breed. 
Crevecceurs make capital crosses for the table with either Langshans, Brahmas, Cochins, 
Indian Game, or Dorkings, and, we believe, also with the Malay. The pure-bred fowl is, however, 
so large, and matures so early, besides being so good a layer, that little beyond a greater degree 
of hardiness is gained by the experiment. 
Every characteristic of Crevecceurs is shown to the life in Mr. Ludlow’s excellent portraits. 
LA FLECHE. — This breed differs considerably from both the preceding. The latter are 
compact and neat in frame, while the La Fleche is high and rather gaunt-looking, the whole frame 
and the character of the plumage denoting, evidently, a preponderating portion of Spanish blood. 
That a Polish cross was also employed is, however, conclusively proved by the facts that nearly all 
the specimens first imported had a small crest, while the signs of the cross are still apparent in the 
small two-horned comb. English exhibition standards have required the total eradication of crest, 
and the La Fleche is now a very tall Spauish-looking fowl, with red face, brilliant white ear-lobe, 
and glossy green-back plumage. The fowl as now bred is scarcely so upright as the earlier 
specimens, but the bird is still taller than the Spanish, and often attains very great weight. 
The flesh of this fowl is, in our opinion, more delicate and juicy than that of any other variety 
except the Game ; yet, strange to say, though valued above all others in France for this quality, 
it would be despised by English dealers in dead poultry on account of the black legs , showing that 
others besides “ fanciers ” do harm by insisting too much upon “ mere arbitrary standards.” It is 
a moderate layer of very large white eggs, but by no means so good as the Spanish in this respect, 
and it is as a table-fowd its claims stand highest. It does not mature early — not nearly so early 
as the Houdan or the Creve, and hence the fat chickens come on for the French markets when the 
others are nearly over, and fetch very high prices, being worth even in July, according to Mr. 
Geyelin, as much as five shillings each. With all these merits, the breed appears likely never to be 
either popular or profitable in England, being so exceedingly delicate as to counterbalance all 
valuable qualities. The Hon. C. W. Fitzwilliam, who has persevered longer with them than any 
one else, describes them as “ laying well and early, the eggs being large, solid, and of good flavour,” 
but adds that “ the cockerels are very liable to weakness in the hocks,’ - ’ and that “ dull and damp 
springs expose them to rheumatic affections. - ” They are, in fact .peculiarly liable to suffer from any 
but the very best weather ; and in addition to this defined source of danger, which can to some 
extent be guarded against, or the ailments treated when they arise, the cocks especially, 
and sometimes the hens also, are continually appearing as if suddenly attacked with fatal illness. 
It is difficult to say “what is the matter with them,” only they look as if they were just going 
to die ! The curious thing is that, after coddling up for a day or two by the fire, they will not 
unfrequently recover as suddenly as they became ill, and equally mysteriously ; but, unfortunately, 
sometimes they don t, and this fact makes such seizures productive of feelings more interesting than 
pleasant to the proprietor. It is rather remarkable that Creves too are a little liable to these 
sudden and strange attacks, but not nearly so much as the fowl in question, which may not 
uncommonly be found apparently well at mid- day, almost certainly (to all appearance) dying the 
