The Mediterranean Class includes those breeds raised chiefly because
of their great egg-production. They are active birds, often
troublesome because of their ability to fly over high enclosures, so
that when kept in the city it is usually necessary to clip one wing.
They are not so good winter layers as a rule, but are non-setters.
They all lay white eggs. The chief breeds included are the Leghorns,
the Minorcas, and the Black Spanish.
The Leghorns--the most popular of these breeds--include two chief
varieties, the Brown and the White. The comb is most commonly single,
falling to one side in the hen, the wattles long and pendulous, the
ear lobes white, and the legs yellow.
The Minorcas are glossy black in color, with a large drooping comb in
the hen, and long, thin, pendulous wattle. They lay a very large egg.
The Black Spanish resemble the Minorcas, but are distinguished by the
white face and cheeks and the white on the inner edge of the wattles.
The English Class includes the Orpingtons and the Dorkings. The
Dorkings are one of the oldest breeds of fowl, and sufficiently
identified by the presence of a fifth toe. There are three
varieties--the White, the Silver-gray, and the Colored. The White
Dorking has a rose comb; the Silver-gray has a single comb and
silvery-gray plumage with black markings, the hen having a
salmon-colored breast; the Colored Dorkings have sometimes single and
sometimes rose combs, the plumage of the cock being black and
straw-colored and that of the hen being black and gray with the
breast salmon marked with black.
The Orpingtons are short legged, with close plumage. They are of
large size, the hens being from seven to eight pounds and the cocks
from nine to ten pounds. There are three varieties--the black, the
buff, and the white. The black, except for shape, might be mistaken
for a Minorca, but has red ear lobes and black shanks. The Orpingtons
have the reputation of maturing early, some strains being known to
lay when four months old.
The Dutch Class includes the Red-caps, the Campines, and the various
varieties of the Hamburgs--of which there are six: the Golden
Spangled, the Silver Spangled, the Golden Penciled, the Silver
Penciled, the Black and the White. They are all good layers and
non-setters, "but lay a small egg, white in color. They are readily
recognized by their peculiar rose comb with its long, spikelike
projection in the back, their red face, white ear lobes, and bluish
legs. The prevailing color of the golden varieties is a reddish bay
marked with black and of the silver varieties white marked with
black. The cock usually has more dark markings than the hen.
The Red-caps are large fowl with a red and black plumage. The comb is
similar to the Hamburg's but larger, and the ear lobes are red.
The Campines resemble the Hamburgs, but have a single comb.
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