188 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 27 . 
of those who expend their trouble and their money in en¬ 
deavouring to raise them to perfection. The complaints 
against the decisions at the different exhibitions of poultry— 
complaints which, perhaps, more readily reach the ears of 
those who do not exhibit than of those who mingle in the 
excitement, appear to call for more fixed points of beauty in 
each kind of fowl than have at present been decided on. 
Many authors have given good descriptions of fowls, but 
one person is hardly likely to be intimately acquainted with 
all the varieties —discussion appears necessary. 
In an endeavour to describe several sorts, I am prepared 
to hear from many quarters, “ Anster Bonn knows nothing 
about this,” and in plain truth, there are many kinds about 
which I know little. I will take the first step, however, 
hoping that many amateurs, who have paid as much atten¬ 
tion to their favourite varieties as I have done to the Cochin- 
China, will assist me in this work, ottering corrections where 
I am wrong, and additional information where mine is de¬ 
ficient. In commencing with the Spanish, I follow the 
order used in the prize list of the Birmingham show, al¬ 
though my own taste would induce me to place the Cochin- 
China first. 
The Spanish cock is a tall bird, of an upright, stately 
bearing, and the hens are very large also, but not so tall in 
proportion. The plumage is jet black, with metallic lustre, 
and of a satin-like softness to the touch. The comb and 
wattles are very large and very red, the comb of the hen 
drooping over to one side. Legs and beak, dark grey or slate 
colour. The cheek and ear-lobes should be perfectly white. 
To get these very large and white, is, I believe, considered 
the perfection of high breeding. When a pullet has the 
cheek red, it will frequently change to white the second year, 
but I ain told by an amateur of Spanish fowls, who has bred 
from some of the finest in the country, that it should be 
white from the first. The hens are celebrated for the size 
of their eggs, the shells of which are white. Accounts from 
persons who keep these fowls in different localities differ 
widely as to whether they are good layers or not. A fowl 
which lays such a very large egg can scarcely be expected to 
produce a great number, but from not wanting to sit, they, 
of course, lose less time than hens which hatch and rear 
their own chickens. The chickens are delicate, difficult to 
raise, and very late in fledging. The hens, which very 
seldom show inclination to sit, are said to make bad mothers; 
but I think this is blame which they scarcely deserve. 
The Dorking , white, speckled, and grey, especially the two 
last, are remarkably fine, plump, compactly made fowls. 
Mr. Baily, in his useful little work on the management of 
the Dorking fowl, pronounces the speckled and the grey to 
be better than the white for domestic purposes, they are 
also found to be more hardy. “ I would choose them,” 
remarks Mr. Baily, in the little work just mentioned, “ with 
small heads, taper necks, broad shoulders, square bodies, 
white legs, and well-defined five claws on each foot.” Is it 
important that the comb should be single ? Will some 
reader of The Cottage Gaudexek, who has devoted atten¬ 
tion to the points of the Dorking fowl, kindly answer this 
question. The eggs have white shells, and are thick in 
proportion to the length. As is the case with the Spanish, 
there are different opinions as to whether the Dorking hens 
are abundant layers, but I believe all agree in pronouncing 
their eggs very good, both in size and flavour; they are good 
sitters and mothers. 
Next on the list stands the justly-lauded Cochin-China — 
that dear fowl in every sense. Then.' points have been so 
thoroughly discussed, that it would be superfluous more 
than slightly to revert to the immense width and depth of 
the compact, square-built body, absence of tail, peculiarly- 
folded wing, well-feathered yellow legs, neatly-formed head, 
with single comb, the deep, hoarse crow of the cock, and 
the great number of dark-coloured eggs laid by the hen. 
Colour, I think, is, and must remain, a matter of fancy, par¬ 
ticularly as it is well known to be impossible (however care¬ 
fully selected the stock may be) to keep entirely to either 
dark or light birds. Buff and yellow fowls will occasionally 
throw grouse-coloured chickens, and the dark fowls light 
ones. For myself, I greatly prefer the light colours, from 
their bright and gay appearance, and because I have found 
in them more compact beauty of shape and silkiness of fluff 
than I have ever happened to meet with in the dark birds. 
Weight is, with all these fowls, the Spanish, the Dorking, 
and the Cochin-China, a very important point. In judging j 
of this, however, it should be viewed with some reference to j 
whether the weight is distributed in available flesh, whether ! 
the fowl is in a healthy state, and whether this excellence 1 
(weight) is in accordance with compact beauty of form. 
Breeders of Cochin-China fowls have latterly tried to j 
render the colour quite uniform. I think this very hand¬ 
some, but must confess that I should regret to see the little 
fringe of feathers pencilled with dark, forming a tippet on 
the neck, quite banished; especially as I have met with it 
in many of the choicest imported hens. Can any amateurs 
of the Hamburgh fowls initiate us into all the mysteries of 
peneillings and spanglings, ruffs and no ruffs, &c.; in fact, 
give a good description of the several varieties of these j 
beautiful fowls ?— Anster Bonn. 
THE DOMESTIC PIGEON. 
(Continued from page 72.) 
ON LAYING AND INCUBATION. 
The amateur who lias peopled his dovecote with old 
pigeons—that is to say, birds of seven years old—must not 
expect them to lay nearly so often as young ones would do ; 
and, when he has the choice, should always procure these. 
The old ones may easily be recognised by the red, or rather 
asli-coloured cast in their feet, covered with a whitish 
pellicle, apparently detached in the form of scales; by their 
very crooked nails, which are also longer; by their thin, 
slender, and hooked beak; and by the ends of the two 
mandibles, and especially by the corners of the mouth, 
covered, blackened, and hardened by the habit of deglutition; 
the eyelid is frayed, heavy, whitish, and scaly; the eye is 
dull, deeper in its orb, and never has that vivacity of ex¬ 
pression that belongs to youth ; finally, a neglected and dull 
plumage adds the last seal to the ravages of time. The 
dove-house pigeons have but little more than from two to 
four broods at most in the year, at least, when they are the 
stock-dove. The first brood generally comes off in the 
month of March, and the last in August. Pigeons of a 
pure race lay more frequently—at least, the greater part of 
them; but the Mixtures are the most productive, and we 
may occasionally meet with some that will have from nine 
to ten broods every year; but, generally speaking, they have 
seven or eight, and this is the largest production an amateur 
ought to expect. 
The period we have just cited for the dove-house pigeon 
is also that when those of the dovecote lay most frequently, 
unite the best, and it is especially during this season that 
the young ones engender all the necessary qualities to 
become beautiful and large birds. We must, therefore, try 
to match these birds at a time so calculated that they may 
begin to lay in the month of April, or May at latest, if we 
would make the most of them. As soon as two birds are 
coupled, they immediately require a nest to receive the 
young family they are quickly about to produce, and if they 
can find a dark and obscure corner in the dovecote they will I 
give it the preference. They both employ themselves in ! 
Carrying to it some small and very light twigs, or straws, I 
with which they construct in a simple manner the cradle for I 
their posterity. When this work, which they carry on with : 
great diligence, is completed, the male does not go far from 1 
it, and endeavours to retain his female there, or to call her j 
back if she only leaves it for a moment. He continually [ 
displays his impatience by a particular sound of voice, much 
more full and soft than the common cooing. When she has 
yielded to his views, he recompenses her with the most 
tender caresses and flapping of the wings, at once express¬ 
ing both his pleasure and hopes. He squeezes into the 
nest by her side, and does not cease one moment to testify 
his anxiety. The female remains in the nest a whole day, 
and sleeps there for two or three nights, whilst he continues 
near her and watches her. It is then that she lays the first 
egg, generally between the hours of twelve and two. She 
takes care to keep it warm without sitting upon it, and 
leaves it but seldom, and during very short intervals. In 
fifty-two hours—that is to say, two days after, between four 
and six o’clock at night—she lays a second. As soon as the 
two eggs are laid the cares of incubation commence. 
