THE POULTRY BOOK. 
189 
We at once saw enough to make us very unwilling to be entirely dependent for 
the breed on the one sad-looking gentleman, with his tuft heavy with dirt, dirt for 
a mantle, and his long clogged tail hanging round on one side ; and we wrote directly 
for another importation, especially for a cock, and to ask the name they had at 
home. In answer to the first request, we found that good fowls of the kind are 
difficult to get there ; our friend has ever since been trying to get us two or three 
more, but cannot succeed either in Constantinople or other parts of Turkey : the 
first he can meet with will be sent. With regard to the name, he told us they are 
called Serai-Taook. Serai, as is known by every reader of Eastern lore, is the 
name of the Sultan’s palace ; Taook is Turkish for fowl ; the simplest translation 
of this is, ^ Sultan’s fowls,’ or ‘ fowls of the Sultan ; ’ a name which has the 
double advantage of being the nearest to be found to that by which they have been 
known in their own country, and of designating the country from which they came. 
Time very soon restored the fowls to perfect health and partial cleanliness ; but 
it was not until after the moulting season that they showed themselves as the 
* bellissimi galli bianchi ’ described by our Constantinople friend. 
‘‘ They rather resemble our White Polish, but with more abundant furnishing, 
and shorter legs, which are vulture-hocked and feathered to the toes. 
In general habits they are brisk and happy-tempered ; but not kept in as easily 
as Cochins. They are very good layers ; their eggs are large and white ; they 
are non-sitters and small eaters. A grass run with them will remain green long- 
after the crop would have been cleared by either Brahmas or Cochins ; and with 
scattered food they soon become satisfied, and walk away. 
^‘In size, Sultans are smaller than the generality of Polish, the cocks weigh- 
ing from four to five pounds ; the hens being in proportion. In form they are 
very plump, full-crested, short-legged, and compact ; the plumage pure and un- 
sullied white throughout, and very abundant ; their tails are ample, and carried 
erect ; their thighs are short, and furnished with feathers which project beyond 
the joint, or, as it is termed, are vulture-hocked. Their legs are short, white, 
and profusely feathered to the feet, which are five-toed. The comb consists of 
two small spikes, situated at the base of a full-sized globular Polish crest ; the 
wattles are rudimentary, both sexes being amply bearded. No fowls are more 
abundantly decorated — full tail, abundant furnishing, boots, vulture hocks, beards, 
whiskers, and full round Polish crests. Good birds of this variety possess the 
peculiar structure of the skull that has already been described as characterizing 
the- Polish breeds.” 
At the present time, the most successful breeder and exhibitor of this very 
pretty variety is Mr. F. W. Zurhorst, of Donnybrook, to whom we are indebted for 
the following account of their characteristics and habits ; — 
A Sultan cock should have a full round crest, not branching out on either side, 
like too many of our modern Polish, and leaving an open space in the centre, but 
formed of closely set, silky, arched feathers, not concealing the eyes, but leaving 
them unobscured. The small red wattles ought to be smooth, but are generally a 
