Judging Turkeys. 
525 
from the rearing-ground. Other cocks, however, show a very satisfactory disposition in these 
respects, and require no such precaution ; we have even known cases in which the male appeared 
to desire a share in the duties of incubation, as is the case in many kinds of birds. 
Turkey-breeding has made great strides in England since the first edition of this work 
appeared, and the foregoing hints have been more generally carried out. The entries at Bir- 
mingham have more than doubled, and a Turkey Breeders’ Club has recently done a great deal to 
promote good breeding. It is remarkable to notice that with this increase in domesticated breed- 
ing has occurred a distinct increase in fecundity, and we have heard of individual hens laying fifty 
eggs, and even more. In other cases this increase has taken the shape of earlier laying, as in 
the following remarks from Mr. R. R. Fowler, with which we will conclude this article. Writing 
from Aylesbury, he says: — “You will find on many farms in this district, where ten years back 
scarcely a turkey would be kept, and those only of the poorest description, flocks of American- 
Cambridge, numbering from 100 to 300, and the majority of the cockerels will weigh over twenty 
pounds. I do not think there has been any marked improvement in their natural productive- 
ness ; but, owing to the selection of the earlier poults for breeding, eggs are obtained earlier in 
the spring, and the second batch of eggs is thence obtainable at a sufficiently early date to make 
it profitable to rear birds from them. The second broods now, are often as ready for the Christ- 
mas market as the earlier ones used to be.” 
Crested Turkeys have been mentioned by various ancient naturalists, and for some time were 
considered to be a distinct species ; but all attempts to breed them' true to this point having as yet 
failed, the crests must be considered to be merely accidental sports, though undoubtedly showing 
the strong relationship or affinity between the turkey and peacock tribes. Various specimens 
have been found from time to time, and it is somewhat singular that in every case we have found 
record of the birds have been cocks. These birds have been bred from, but have hitherto failed to 
produce any crested progeny. The experiment has been tried both by Mr. Simpson in America 
and by Mr. Tegetmeier in this country, as well as by others; but both gentlemen failed to produce 
even a trace of a crest. Mr. Tegetmeier, who is well known to take peculiar interest in singular 
variations, took particular pains, breeding back from the progeny of the crested gobbler to the 
male parent himself, thus employing three-fourths of crested blood ; but the result was as before ; 
and we hear from Mr. Simpson, who also took some pains in the matter, that no success is known 
to have been obtained by any individual. The crest, therefore, remains as an accidental “ sport,” 
and nothing more, as regards all present experience ; though Temminck states that Madame 
Backer had a whole flock of crested turkeys in her aviary at the Hague. 
JUDGING TURKEYS. — In the ordinary English judging of turkeys it is impossible to find 
anything which can be reduced to a Scale of Points. Beauty of plumage and condition are taken 
into consideration to a moderate extent ; but judging depends far more upon weight than anythin^ 
else, the heaviest bird being almost invariably awarded the first prize. 
The introduction of the splendid American Bronze breed has gradually led to some change 
in this respect, there being a certain standard of plumage to which these birds are bred in 
America, and to which — there, at least — they are expected to conform. That this is not inconsistent 
with size and weight is conclusively proved by their having beaten us on our own ground, even 
at the scales— a fact which goes far to prove, what we have elsewhere advanced, that “fancy 
breeding” is not contrary, but conducive, to the production of the finest poultry. The schedule here 
given is copied from the last edition of the American “ Standard of Excellence,” now called the 
“ Standard of Perfection.” It is altered in some respects from the early form ; and in particular the 
