CAUSES OF VARIETIES IN BIRDS. 
469 
considered so dangerous by the farmer’s wife, that she generally contrives 
stealthily to put the obnoxious birds out of the way- The most remarkable hen 
of this kind which we remember to have seen, is that of which we have attempted 
a delineation at the commencement of our present number. It was purchased 
amongst many other Fowls, and was kept several years in the poultry-yard at 
Scampston Hall, near Malton, in this county. We believe it was never known 
to crow. It is generally believed that these “ cock-hens ” are barren; but this 
we are enabled most distinctly to deny. It is an interesting fact that the hen 
figured in our current number not only laid eggs, but hatched them, and took 
every possible care of her broody This fine bird was at length chased into a 
Duck-pond, and drowned, by two of those quarrelsome creatures the Pintado, 
This latter bird, though peaceable enough with its own species, is a perfect terror 
to other kinds of poultry. We have even known it attack and drive away a 
well-trained pointer Dog ! Fowls, on the contrary, extremely quarrelsome among 
themselves, never molest other birds unless first attacked by them, or when dis¬ 
turbed at feeding-time. 
The beautiful specimen to which we have alluded was stuffed by an amateur of 
the art of animal-preserving, Matthew Hayes, Esq., of Pickering. It is of the 
size of a very large cock, and had the brilliant metallic tints, the waving tail- 
feathers, and the long pendent neck-feathers characteristic of the male. The 
comb is intermediate between the average of the ordinary cock and hen. The 
rudiments of hard and powerful spurs may be observed; the plates of the tarsi 
are large, but as they are neither loose nor much imbricated, this must be con¬ 
sidered rather as another indication of approach to the male than as a sign of age. 
Indeed the character of these plates, and of the spurs, induces us to consider it a 
middle-aged individual. The bird is well proportioned, but very muscular in all 
its parts. It has much the air of a cock between the game and dunghill breeds, 
but the head is smaller, and the neck thinner. Unfortunately this hen was 
moulting when it died, and has therefore less of the male character than would 
otherwise have been the case. In all probability, each of the unusual characters 
noticed above would have been increased had the bird lived a few years longer. 
Undoubtedly its spurs would have gTOwn very considerably. We have seen old 
hens, with the ordinary plumage and general aspect, and very good sitters, with 
long sharp spurs like a cock. 
It would be interesting to notice the changes induced by age and moulting on 
these “ cock-hens.” Perhaps they become barren at an earlier period than other 
hens. If so, the notion respecting their unconditional sterility is partially 
accounted for. The specimen figured in the plate died some twelve or fourteen 
years ago, and still remains in our collection. 
Game cocks which have fought often and desperately sometimes change colour 
vol. hi.—no. xxiv. 3 Q 
