File:The poultry manual. A complete guide for the breeder and exhibitor (1911) (14783775123).jpg

Identifier: poultrymanualcom00stur (find matches)
Title: The poultry manual. A complete guide for the breeder and exhibitor
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Sturges, T. W., 1853-
Subjects: Poultry
Publisher: London, Macdonald and Evans
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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henumberless shades must have been a source of con-fusion. It was not colour, however, but shape and style andcondition that were most regarded. The fighting Gamewere comparatively small birds, weighing 4 to 5 lb.,and being very tight-feathered, looked smaller thanthey were. They were smart, tight, quick in movement,with a proud erect gait, the neck long and the hackleshort and hard—the jaws and throat lean and red, witha powerful and curved bill. The legs were of moderatelength, clean and round in bone, and the feet wellspread out, the hinder toe touching the ground so asto allow a firm backward tread. The thighs were verytight-feathered, and indeed the whole body appearedas though encased in a tight-fitting coat of mail, withstrong muscular wings. The body was wedge or pearshaped like that of the Moderns, with the weightwell in front, and the body cut fairly short behind.As the cocks were bred to fight, their offensive weapon,the heel or spur, was a great consideration, since even
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BRITISH BREEDS OF POUETRY 297 with health and vigour they were useless unless theycould strike well and clean. When a cock, at two yearsold, then in his prime, firm and muscular, in well-trainedcondition, stepped forth into the arena to do battle forthe honour of a long line of champion ancestors, he wasa majestic sight, a fit emblem of a nation whose mottois either to conquer or to die. The Old English Game Varieties : Black-breasted Red ; Brown-red ; Duckwing ; Blue-red ; Pile ; Spangles ; White ; Black ; Henny. The Old English Game are the direct descendants ofthe old fighting Game, and, though not largely bred forthe cock-pit, retain many of the characteristics of theirprogenitors. They are a little larger, and weigh abouta pound heavier, the cocks average 5 lb. to 6 lb., andthe hens 4 lb. to 5 lb. Opinions differ as to whetherthey are an improvement on the old race. They aremore uniform in colour and marking, though this isstill a minor feature even in the show-pen, and only8 poi

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