boys’ department. 
195 
Bogs’ SDepartmcnt. 
TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.—No 1. 
Among the many useful hints published in the 
Boys’ Department of the Agriculturist, I do not 
recollect to have seen one topic touched upon at 
all; that is, the Treatment of Animals. Therefore, 
what follows, I propose as a preface to that subject. 
The first requisition for a herdsman, a teamster, 
or a drover, is a well-subdued and well-regulated 
temper; for, without this, an animal is never safe 
in the hands of a boy, or anybody else who is 
lacking in this virtue. All boys may not be amia¬ 
ble by nature ; and for such, it is necessary that 
they should be disciplined by a course of self-denial 
and self-restraint, until they have a perfect com¬ 
mand over themselves. W e may no longer look to 
fathers to do this, as so few of them possess perfect 
control over their own tempers, and where this is 
the case, but little good will ever grow out of 
their government over the tempers of their children. 
Hence, I say, boys, subdue and regulate your own 
tempers, and when this is done, I will tell you how 
to treat all kinds of domestic animals. S. A. 
THE SPANGLED HAMBURGH. 
In describing this fowl I cannot avoid again re¬ 
marking that most persons who have written upon 
the subject of poultry appear ta have been mere 
compilers, and to have possessed but little, if any, 
practical acquaintance with the subject of which 
they undertook to treat; for example, in the case 
of the very bird now under consideration, I ffind, 
in “Dickson on Poultry,” p. 15, the Hamburgh 
fowl described as possessing a singularly large 
comb and wattles ; and while the writer states it to 
be a variety of the Paduan or Polish , he adds— 
“ the nourishment expended in that to form a crest 
of feathers goes to enlarge the comb and wattles.” 
Now, it so happens that the Hamburgh fowl have a 
large top-knot, with but very small comb and wat¬ 
tles; and another peculiarity that shall be described 
in its proper place. I do not follow blindly the 
descriptions furnished by my predecessors, how¬ 
ever highly I may conceive their writings are, in 
many respects, to ke esteemed. I am this moment 
writing my description of the Hamburgh fowl from 
two beautiful specimens as they stand before me 
on the table in the house of their owner, my very 
kind friend Mr. Nolan, of Dublin. These fowl 
gained the prizes at the last show of the Royal Ag¬ 
ricultural Improvement Society of Ireland, from a 
host of very worthy, but still far inferior competi¬ 
tors; consequently, in my case, no blunder can pos¬ 
sibly occur. 
The Spangled Hamburgh fowl are divided into 
two varieties, the distinctive characteristics being 
slight, and nearly altogether dependent upon co¬ 
lor ; these varieties are termed the golden and sil¬ 
ver spangled. The former will suffice for me to 
describe, as the points of form, &c., excepting only 
color, are identical. 
The Golden Spangled Hamburgh Fowl is one of 
no ordinary beauty; it is well and very neatly 
made; has a good body, and no very great offal. 
On the crest, immediately above the beak, are two 
small fleshy horns, resembling, to some extent, an 
abortive comb. In some specimens this crest is 
divided into more than two horns; but two are the 
ordinary and more legitimate number. Above the 
crest, and occupying the place of a comb, is a very 
large brown or yellow tuft, the feathers composing 
it darkening towards their extremities Under the 
insertion of the lower mandible, or that portion of 
The Spangled Hamburgh Cock.—Fig. 40. 
The Spangled Hamburgh Hen.—Fig 41. 
the neck corresponding to the chin in man, is a full, 
dark-colored tuft, somewhat resembling a beard. 
The wattles are very small. In the golden variety, 
the hackles on the neck are of a brilliant orange, or 
golden yellow; and the general ground-color of 
the body is of the same hue, but somewhat darker 
The thighs are of a dark brown, or blackish shade, 
and the legs and feet are of a bluish grey. 
In the Silver Spangled variety the only percepti¬ 
ble difference is, that the ground-color is a silvery 
white. The extremity, and a portion of the ex¬ 
treme margin of each feather, are black, presenting, 
when in a state of rest, the appearance of regular 
semicircular marks or spangles; and hence the 
name of “ Spangled Hamburgh.” the varieties being 
Jermed gold or silver, according to the prevailing 
color being bright, yellow, or silvery white. 
These fowl have good plump bodies, a good skin, 
are good layers, and lay good-sized eggs. —Rich¬ 
ardson. 
