200 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— July 8, 1850. 
quently than the common (French) fowl; hut their eggs 
are much larger, anil they continue to lay a longer time; 
they sit badly, and are apt to break their eggs from their 
great weight, which is, at least, one-third more than that of 
the common fowls; they are very easily fatted. 
“ The cocks, which are smaller in form than the hens, 
have a brilliant plumage, somewhat golden or silver-coloured 
(soil ilore , soil argenle ); their heads are handsomely sur¬ 
mounted with beautiful tufts, and large-toothed, two horned 
combs, which together form a kind of crown ; they have also 
dense cravats of feathers, adorned with handsome pendent 
wattles.” 
The capons of this breed are further stated to bo four 
kilog., or nine pounds English in weight. To this descrip- 
' tion 1 will add a few remarks, with which I have been 
i favoured for publication in “ The Poultry Book,” by Mr. H. 
B. Higgs, of Southampton, who, after seeing these fowls at 
the Paris Exhibition, in 1855, obtained a set from Nor¬ 
mandy, that precisely correspond with the description above 
given. Mr. Iliggs states the hens to weigh 7jlbs. to 7,Jibs, 
each; that they are non sittmjs, good layers, producing large 
j eggs—-many weighing -1 ozs.^Rch, and that they are plump, 
heavy birds for the table. Their plumage he describes as 
black, with a full crest, and a two-liorned comb lj inches in 
height. The cocks, black, with slightly golden-pencilled 
hackle, drooping black crests, and large-toothed, two-horned 
combs, resembling closely the flat, expanded horns of the 
fallow deer. 
To these authorities I will add the results of my own 
observations. From actual dissection I can state that Crive 
Occurs are fleshy on the breast to a greater degree than any 
fowls I ever examined, except Bantams; that they fatten 
externally, with a remarkable absence of offal. Though 
crested, they are not Polands, but have a totally different 
osteological character. Their eggs are larger than those of 
any variety of fowl with which I am acquainted, not even 
excepting Spanish. With regard to their hardihood and 
rate of growth, I can ordy state the results of my own 
experience in reply to the dogmatic assertions of their being 
ill-suited for our climate, made by those who have, evidently, 
never bred them. I have found them hatch well, and grow 
remarkably fast. One brood which I have contains some 
half-bred chickens (bred from a Cochin hen and Polish 
cock) ; but the Crbve Cocurs are double their size and 
weight. As to their hardihood, although they are on an 
unmitigated and undrained clay soil, and have never had 
any other shelter than an open shed, I have not lost one 
chick. My opinion respecting them is, that they are a most 
valuable addition to our stock of profitable (as distinguished 
from ornamental) poultry, combining, as they do, the good 
points of both Spanish and Dorking. Their drawbacks are 
their non-sitting (if that can be called a drawback which 
leads to an increased and prolonged production of eggs), 
and their black legs, which are not so highly esteemed as 
white ones in a market fowl. The uncertain character of 
their plumage is of no weight, as it can be remedied by a 
couple of seasons’ careful breeding. It may be stated, that 
a pen of these birds was passed over without notice at the 
last Birmingham Show r . This is true; and I have heard 
that the Judges imagined, from the striking difference in 
the combs of the cocks and hens, that they were not of the 
same breed, and, therefore, declined to award a notice to 
! them. 
One thing only appears requisite for their due appr.ecia- 
I tion. Let them get into the hands of the dealers and be 
sold at 100 guineas a pen, and then, like half-bred Chitta- 
gongs and wretched Rangoons, we shall hear that they have 
never been exhibited without having taken prizes.—W. B. 
Tegetmeiee, Tottenham. 
QUANTITY OF FOOD FOR FOWLS. 
“ I keep a large number of fowls, and I want to ascertain 
what quantity of food I ought to give each fowl per diem. 
At present they are fed two or three times a day, but no 
regular quantity is measured out; in fact, we give them 
what we think sufficient, but this is just as likely to be in¬ 
sufficient, as we have no data to go upon. Will you kindly 
assist me out of my difficulty ?—A Novice.” 
[It i3 very hard to fix any quantity of food for fowls, as it 
varies according to the season, the kind, and their condition. 
The only way to feed fowls so as to combine economy of 
food with well-doing of the birds is, to do it entirely by hand, 
i.e., give them meal mixed with water, made into small 
pellets and thrown down one or two at a time. When the 
fowls cease to run after them leave off feeding; they have 
had enough. This should be done morning and evening. 
In the middle of the day some whole corn—wheat is the 
best—should be scattered among the grass. This process 
is not tedious, and after two days you will know the exact 
quantity to mix.— B.] 
BRISTOL AND CLIFTON POULTRY 
EXHIBITION. 
The natural beauties of Clifton and its neighbourhood 
are most probably notorious to most of our numerous 
readers; its alpine scenery, its extensive “Downs,” the 
purity of the air, and its highly-valued medicinal waters, 
causing it to be the general resort of tourists and invalids. 
Still, however, an additional attraction presented itself ou 
the occasion of its recent “ first attempt ” at a Poultry Ex¬ 
hibition. It was held in the Clifton Zoological Gardens, 
a situation highly appropriate forsuch an undertaking, and we 
must, indeed, add our full meed of praise of all the arrange¬ 
ments; they had been well considered and“fully carried out” 
by several poultry amateurs of well-known experience in such 
matters. We are gratified in being able to state, also, that 
it was well supported by the public generally. The gardens 
are, at this season, quite a treat, and well worth inspection, 
simply on account of the variety and abundance of speci¬ 
mens of floriculture that meet the eye of the visitor on all 
sides. Not only the botanist, however, but the naturalist may 
also pass a well-spent day in the inspection of the best col¬ 
lection of animals we have yet visited. It is but due to this 
society to state, that the grounds far exceed most of those 
to which the public have access for the careful attention and 
good management that are everywhere apparent. The carni¬ 
vorous animals have as little restriction placed upon them ns 
is consistent with their safe retention, and appeal- to derive ad¬ 
ditional advantages from the but little restrained opportuni¬ 
ties of exercise they thus enjoy. The lawns are very exten¬ 
sive, and the herbaceous abundance of the season finds 
plentiful supply of food for a most interesting variety of 
foreign cattle, nylgaus, llamas, antelopes, &c., which, though 
securely tethered, appear to the visitor, at first sight, as roam¬ 
ing at perfect freedom in their own self-selected pasturage. 
All appear exceedingly tractable and domesticated; very 
many are accompanied by their young, which adds not a 
little to both the interest and really intrinsic value of the 
Exhibition. The productiveness of the varied assemblage 
is everywhere similar ; young lions, bears, deer of different 
kinds, and even monkeys gambolling about in all the 
frolic of juvenile simplicity, quite regardless of the very 
close inspection of the more curious among the spectators. 
IIow very different to their nature in their native wilds, and 
how conclusive of the simple fact, that unvarying kindness 
begets reliance and even affection in the most savage of the 
brute creation. But leaving this portion of the grounds, 
our attention was most especially directed to the department 
for the water-fowls. The water and its numerous islands 
are, of course, altogether artificial, but certainly betray very 
little in their general appearance to lead to any such suppo¬ 
sition ; they are, on the contrary, rugged, wild, and natural. 
Under the shade of the numerous and now well-grown trees 
with which these islands abound, there has been wisely intro¬ 
duced a plentiful addendum of different Ferns, contrasting 
to much advantage with the large and nigged pieces of rock- 
work, and giving an air of universal quiet and secretiveness, ! 
which the wild fowl (?), as they arc called, seem to have fully 
appreciated. Many groups of youngsters were very sedu¬ 
lously employed in feeding on gnats and other small insects 
on the surface of the water; and among them we were some¬ 
what surprised to notice the newly-hatched offspring of the 
common Widgeon, the Pintail, the Pochard, and Black 
Swans, all apparently the best of friends, and associating in 
perfect amity. To many parties who have expended consi- 
