THE POULTRY BOOK. 
181 
must be insisted on. The bars in the hen are the same as in the cock, but are 
less bold and defined. 
“ The secondary quills should have a clear white ground, with a large green- 
black spangle at the end of each feather. The thighs of the Spangled Polish are 
long, and should be well spangled to the hock. The legs and feet blue, fine in 
bone, with neat scales, and the toes rather long. 
The crest, which is the most striking characteristic of the Polish breed, is 
long in the best cocks, very large and full, extending regularly all round, and 
hiding the head and part of neck ; it should have no vacancy in centre ; each feather 
of the crest should be black at base, white for some distance in the centre, and, 
finally, if tipped with black it is perfect. The crest of the hen should be very 
large, ample, and compact, forming a globular mass of feathers, regular in shape ; 
each feather well and evenly marked, with a white eye in the centre. After a year 
or two most hens get a few white feathers in the crest, but the less they are in 
number the better. In neither sex should there be any perceptible comb or 
wattles, but in place of the latter a large, triangular- shaped, black or spangled 
beard. 
^‘The ear-lobe in Spangled Polish should be small and white ; the face hardly 
seen, being covered with feathers and hidden by crest. The colour of the eye 
should be dark, that of the beak blue, to match the legs and feet.” 
In addition to these characteristics of the breed, Mr. Jones has kindly favoured 
us with the following remarks : — There is, perhaps, scarcely any breed of 
domestic poultry about which there exists, amongst amateurs, such a diversity 
of opinion as to what should constitute a perfect bird, as in the case of Silver 
Polish. Some breeders say they should be spangled ; others, again, hold that 
they were originally a laced fowl. Some maintain that they should be bearded ; 
others that they should be beardless, and furnished with wattles like their relatives 
the White -crested Black. Again, it used to be urged that the hens should 
have white crests : now a white crest is regarded as a disqualification. With 
reference to the first question, whether the birds should be spangled or laced, 
it will not be denied that many of the best birds which have been exhibited at 
our leading shows, have had a tendency to lacing ; that is to say, the spangle, 
as it is called, instead of being confined to the end of the feather, has had more the 
shape of an elongated crescent, the horns running up the edges of the feather. 
This is more particularly to be observed on the breast and back of the hens ; but 
in some of the cocks this lacing has been equally well defined on the breast. 
It is a remarkable fact that from the same parents are sometimes produced 
both laced and spangled chickens. The question of beards or wattles has now 
pretty well resolved itself into beards, and the larger the better. I confess my 
predilection is in favour of the beard, — as it appears much more in character 
with the general attributes of the bird, one of which is abundant plumage in 
every part. 
With regard to tails, I like a clear tail in the hen ; and, however anomalous 
