them with uncommon certainty, and then peck them to pieces and eat them."-H. H.

"A red and white Game Cock of any breed, is called a pile; thus I have heard a Malay Cock that was white with a red back called a pile, but I am not quite sure that the expression is applied to birds that are not Game. So the Staffordshire pile must be red and white."J. S. W.

THE GOLDEN AND THE SILVER HAMBURGH

FOWLS.

Ir has been no easy task to reconcile the synonyms of this breed. Richardson gives the name of Hamburghs to the Gold and Silver Polands, a top-knotted variety; which is also erroneously called "Spangled," whereas the feathers in both varieties are marginated, or laced, with black, or dark brown. Even in the true Hamburghs the plumage is rather barred, pencilled, or mottled, than spangled, a description which would much better apply to the Speckled Dorking. Dickson, in his brief, careless, and very loose description, is right in asserting the breeds, both of Golden and Silver Hamburghs, to be combed. His Pencilled Dutch Fowl, "regularly imported from Holland," is the same thing under another name. He has also given a separate place in his list to the Turkish Fowl, apparently unaware that the Gallina Turcica of Aldrovandi, is the Hamburgh Fowl of modern London dealers. Richardson also gives separate notices of the Dutch Every-day Layers, the Turkish Fowl, and the Dutch Fowl, and thinks proper at the same time to sneer at "inexperienced writers, compilers rather." Moubray, to whom the merits at least of originality and practical knowledge ought to be conceded, appears to have been acquainted only with the English stock. He says of The Coral, or Bolton Greys, "This variety, apparently the crack breed of their vicinity, but entirely unknown in the metropolis, is described by the Rev. Mr. Ashworth, Vicar of Tamworth, as follows:-'Small sized, short in the leg, and plump in the make. The colour of the

*The Silver Hamburghs are even now (1848) scarcely known in Norfolk, the English county which, perhaps, enjoys the highest reputation of any for its poultry; marks of crossing with the Golden Hamburgh are occasionally to be seen in farm-yard fowls.

genuine kind, invariably pure white in the whole lappel of the neck; the body white, thickly spotted with bright black, sometimes running into a grizzle, with one or more black bars at the extremity of the tail; they are chiefly esteemed as very constant layers, though their colour would mark them for good table-fowl.' Certain other breeds (in Lancashire) are described, but they do not appear to possess any title to distinction.” In the

eighth edition a coloured figure is given, which quite corresponds with the Silver Hamburghs. Why they should be called Corals, it is difficult to say, unless it be on account of their red comb; which, however, is not redder than that of other Fowls.

In some parts of the South of England they are styled Creoles, a more apt title, as they really are a mixture of blacks and whites. We give a clear and practical account of them under that denomination, from some notes that have been kindly communicated, with permission to use them.

"THE CREOLE.-I have been unable to identify this neat and pretty little species with any mentioned by the few writers on Domestic Poultry. The 'Pencilled Dutch Fowl,' spoken of by Dickson, appears to come nearest to it. My specimens were imported from Lisbon, by Sir Alexander Malet, a relative of mine, when Ambassador abroad; but I have found rather a difficulty in rearing them, and have at present no male.

The

"The Hen has a rose comb, pure white neck and breast, and the rest of the body most exquisitely pencilled with bluish slate-colour and white, legs light blue. Cock has the back and neck greyish white, breast and wings slightly spotted, tail nearly black, fine double comb. These Fowls are the most perfect patterns of neatness in make, and are under the average size. They are excellent layers, and pretty fair mothers; eggs rather small, French-white, and slightly tapering at one end. The chicks are white, except a dark streak on the head, and down the nape of the neck-a curious fact, as when

adult, this is the only part without dark markings. When their little barred wings begin to appear, they are very pretty; but are certainly rather difficult to rear, many of those I have had dying off when a quarter grown, from some cause, the only symptom being, the skins turning black.

"There is also a spurious breed of this variety sold in towns, that are larger, but by no means so neatly made; the necks mixed with specks, and the slate and white markings confused on the body. They are beautifully distinct in the true sort. We have found the

Creoles very good eating.”—H. H.

In the neighbourhood of Keighley, in Yorkshire, on the borders of Lancashire, the Bolton Greys are called "Chittiprats," or "Cheteprats." Prizes are given for the best by the Keighley Agricultural Society, and the opinion of them current there, is, that they are very handsome, very hardy, and excellent layers. In other parts of the kingdom they are known by the trivial name of "Narrowers.'

Prince Albert's breed, so named by Mr. Smith, formerly of the Hippodrome, near London, are Bolton Greys, that are said to be crossed with a dash of Game blood, to improve their form. They are not to be distinguished from the Silver Spangled Hamburghs.

We take the liberty of extracting another account of them from the "Agricultural Gazette" for Oct. 14,

1848:

"The Silver (Hamburgh) Fowls are worthy of notice, both on account of their beauty and productiveness; they are small-bodied, have short blue legs, a very pretty head, with a full comb, and a remarkably short bill, rounded, and shaped somewhat like a sparrow's; their colour white, with very regular black dots or moons on their wings and tail. They lay well; mine commenced early in February, and are laying now (Oct. 3); they do not show any inclination to sit, but in a hatch their eggs are very productive. I have had 14 chicks out of 15

eggs. It is necessary to keep a Game Hen or two, to perpetuate the breed (by hatching the eggs, which they will not do for themselves.) I find rice at 12s. to 148. per cwt., soaked all night in water, and then rolled in Indian meal, a very economical and fattening food, occasionally mixed with a little barley. My Hens would have commenced laying earlier in the season, if their roosting-place had been warmer.' W. X.

Aldrovandi's account of his Turkish Fowls is as follows:-"De Gallo et Duabus Gallinis Turcicis. Gallus cujus modo damus iconem, Gallum Turcicum dicunt. Totum corpus quodammodo candicabat. Alarum tamen pennæ partim etiam erant nigræ, et nigra quoque alvus : cauda partim viridibus, partim nigris, nec non pennis semi-viridibus, et seminigris constabat, toto corpore modò argenteis, modò aureis lineis erat perornatus, quæ res mirum, quantum in eo pulchritudinis conciliabat. Tibiæ, et pedes erant subcærulei. Gallina hæc, quam pariter Turcicam vocant, tota erat alba, maculis ubique conspersa nigris, pedibus subcæruleis: paleis, si maris paleis compares, longè minoribus. Eadem istæc videretur, nisi cervix lutesceret, et apicem in vertice gereret, et pedes omninò haberet cæruleos, et caudam immaculatam.

"Aliam in hoc genere observavi, cui pedes prorsus erant cærulei, eodem modo, ut prædicta, et albo et nigro maculata, sed post carneam cristam aliam habet ex pennis albis instar Alaudæ, et cervicem et cinereo lutescentem, quæ in præcedenti nigra est.”

"On the Turkish Cock, and two Turkish Hens. The Cock whose likeness we now give, is called the Turkish Cock. His whole body was, in a manner, inclined to white. Still the wing feathers were partly black, the belly also was black; the tail consisted of feathers that were partly green, partly black, some also half-green, some

* "Had I been aware that your mind was not quite made up as to the identity of the Bolton Greys with the Silver Hamburghs, I would have written to Mr. M. to look out for a white-breasted cock, but I begged him to send you a black-breasted one, if possible."—J. S. W.