88 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 5. 
were some years Lacl-c. I all vide to the Malays and Polands, j 
The Dorkings also, though they have greatly increased in 
weight, and still maintain their character as table fowls, 
! have lost caste as fancy fowls, by departing from their 
original characteristics of white plumage and rose-combs, 
which some amateurs as “ Cochin,” even consider improper. 
It is my belief that the single combs are attributable to the 
crosses by which their size has been increased, as Spanish, 
Malay, or the large Cuckoo fowl, and I have generally 
noticed, that the rose-combed Dorkings are shorter, and 
more compact, than those with single combs.— B. P. Brent, 
Bessel's Green, near Seven oaks. 
[Here this controversy had better terminate. We do not 
coincide, nor does any Poultry Society coincide with Mr. 
Brent’s definition of a Spangle. The generally recognised 
definition, in which we entirely agree, is shown in the 
following illustrated notes.—Em C. G.] 
THE SPANGLED FEATHER. 
I Much learned ink has beefi shed upon what ought to be 
intended by the adjective when we speak of “ a spangled 
feather.” Some maintain that it should only intend a dark 
feather, with a white spot at the tip; but such a narrow 
restriction is not justified by the use of the word by some 
of the best masters of our language. If such restriction 
were correct, then Milton was wrong, when, in his “Paradise 
Lost,” he speaks of faces 
“ Spangled with eyes, more numerous than those of Argus.” 
Even if the legitimate use of the word were properly so 
restricted to mean only a light-coloured figure, yet its 
established employment, with a more extended signification, 
is rpute sufficient to justify us in defining a spangled feather 
to be one that is broadly tipped with a colour differing from 
the ground colour of the feather. Thus we have before us 
i ochre-coloured feathers spangled with white, ochre-coloured 
spangled with black, black spangled with white, and white 
spangled with black (as represented in our drawing). 
We think that the spangle which approaches to a circular 
form is the most correct, for when of the crescent or horse¬ 
shoe shape it appears to be passing towards the laced 
character. When the spangle is of the crescent form, the 
plumage has a gayer and lighter aspect (we are speaking of 
the dark spangled); but when the spangle is circular, or 
oval, the plumage is richer to the eye. The ground colour 
of the feather should be unsplashed. 
The fowls in which spangled varieties occur are. first, 
the Golden and Silver-spangled Hamburgh, than which few 
! more beautiful birds decorate our poultry exhibitions. The 
marking is here seen to most advantage, for when we pass 
j on to the Polish family we frequently find a tendency to 
blend the spangling with the lacing; and though beautiful 
specimens of both may be here attainable, the spangle is 
not so uniform a character of the plumage as with the 
Hamburghs. 
Bantams, too, are frequently spangled; but as in this class 
lacing stands pre-eminent, birds with spangled plumage 
stand lower on the list, and are too often irregularly spotted. 
THE LACING OF FEATHERS. 
As one of your readers, I beg to thank you for the por¬ 
traiture of the Poland’s Feather. I conclude that you give 
the plate as a representation of the feather sent to you, and 
not as an example of what a perfectly laced feather ought to 
he. As a specimen, it is very faulty, on account of the great 
width of the marking, or, rather, almost spangle, at its tip ; 
indeed, if you place the finger about two-thirds of an inch 
from the end of the feather, you have represented a by no 
means indifferent spangle. A good laced feather ought to 
have the same width of border throughout. The Sebright 
Bantam affords the most perfect example of true lacing. 
As you properly observe, “ the more regular the lacing is in 
width,” Ac., the better; the great irregularity in the repre¬ 
sentation of the feather given places it in the common class 
of laced and spangled; so at least I should certainly class it. j 
The combination of lacing and spangling always produces j 
in the fowls a dark, confused, and indistinct appearance; 1 
and such feathers in no place look so well as on paper, 
where the indistinctness is not visible.—II., Hull. 
[It is quite true that the illustration we gave of a laced 
feather is not quite perfect, for the lacing at the tip is rather 
too broad. It is, however, a true portrait, and its lacing 
quite equal to that usually found on the feathers of Bolands. 
The lacing is rarely of uniform width on any variety but the 
Bantam.—E d. C. G.j 
FROST-BITTEN FOWL. 
A Spanish Cockerel, when first taken ill, presented 
no symptom but discolouration of the comb and wattles, 
and that uncomfortable appearance always observable in a 
sickly fowl. We thought the cold (February) had affected 
him ; took him into the house, gave a little spirits and water 
(which we have sometimes found very efficacious), and 
afterwards a simple purgative. For a short time he seemed 
better, and was allowed to rejoin his companions, and we 1 
hoped the change of weather would have restored him to 
health, but within a few days he looked decidedly worse, 
and to-day (early in March) we have brought him again 
into the house, to try the effect of warmth and calomel, 
thinking his complaint might be similar to the one described 
in your last number. I find his comb is much infiamed, 
and his wattles in a dreadful state, much swollen, as if they 
were bags hanging from his throat, and I think in a state 
of mortification. 
[This letter we have to apologise for having mislaid. 
As far as can be ascertained from the description, I should 
-imagine this to be a case of frost-bitten comb, which has 
run on to mortification. There can be no great danger, Ac., i 
of the general health, as the appetite continues good. Should 
this be the case, the parts affected will, of necessity (being 
dead), drop off, and the bird, in all probability, recover, 
minus the ornamental appendages. Calomel, or any other 
strong medicine, will do harm ; the strength should be sup¬ 
ported by a generous diet, and I would recommend a little 
chopped raw meat to be given. Correspondents requesting 
advice cannot be too particular in their description of the 
symptoms; it is impossible to arrive at a satisfactory con¬ 
clusion from a short account. In this case, a more certain 
opinion could have been formed if the colour of the affected 
comb had been mentioned, and the nature of the diet, situa¬ 
tion, and degree of warmth or coldness of the roosting place 
described.—W. B. Tegetmeier, Tottenham.'] 
