THE POULTEY BOOK. 
147 
under the name of S2:)angled Hamburglis, and the suggested alteration would 
leave the Black Hamhurghs without a name, as they could scarcely he termed 
Black fowls. 
The Pencilled and Spangled hirds^ although frequently described together, are 
so essentially different in characters that their consideration will he greatly 
facilitated by regarding each as a distinct variety, and devoting to them separate 
cha2:)ters. 
The Silver-pencilled birds may first claim our attention. It deserves our notice 
that tradition, our oldest naturalists, and even the names by which our fowls were 
originally called, all assign to them an Eastern origin ; even many of our modern 
names, — Bantam, Malay, Cochin, Chittagong, and Brahmapoutra, — point to a 
similar origin : nor is the fowl now under our consideration an exce^^tion, for its 
earliest describer, Aldrovandus, calls it the Gallina Turcica, or Turkish fowl. The 
white body, the black markings, the greenish-black tail, and the blue-tinged legs, are 
all characters which show that the old naturalist had before him specimens of the 
Silver-pencilled Hamburgh. Perhaps no variety of fowl ever rejoiced in more 
synonyms than this very pretty, and, in suitable situations, profitable breed ; they 
have been long termed Bolton Grays, from being extensively and successfully culti- 
vated in and about Bolton, in Lancashire ; Creoles, from the intermixture of the 
black and white in their plumage ; Creels, which is only a provincial mode of 
jmonouncing Creoles; Corals, because the numerous points of their polished, 
bright scarlet rose combs bear no distant resemblance to red coral ; Pencilled 
Dutch, because many are imported from Holland ; Dutch Every-day Layers 
and Everlastings, for the same reason, and their great 2)i’oductiveness as layers ; 
and Chitteprats, the derivation of which is not so obvious. Chitteface, according 
to Bailey the lexicographer, means a meagre child ; and Chitteprat, if intended to 
describe a diminutive hen, would not be misapplied to one of this variety. 
The general characters of Pencilled Hamhurghs may be thus stated : — They are 
birds of small size, compact and neat in form, sprightly and cheerful in carriage. 
In the j)lumage on the body of the hens, each feather (with the exce] 3 tion of those 
of the neck-hackle, which should be perfectly free from dark marks), is pencilled with 
several transverse bars of black on a clear ground, which is white in the silver, and 
a rich bay in the golden birds. These 2)encillings have given rise to the name of 
the variety. In the cocks, however, there is a general absence of these markings, 
the bii'ds being either white or bay. In both sexes the legs are blue, with 
fine bone. The comb is a rose, square in front and well-peaked behind ; the 
ear-lobe a well-defined white ; the face scarlet. For a detailed account of their 
characteristics we are indebted to Mr. B. P. Brent, a gentleman whose diligent 
researches into the history of many of the varieties of poultry entitle him to the 
thanks of all interested in the subject, and who has been known as a successful 
rearer of this breed for many years ; although it is but fair to state that he repu- 
diates most strongly the introduction of the term Hamburgh,” and regards their 
proper title as that of Pencilled Grays or Bays, or Pencilled Dutch Every-day Layers 
o 2 
