The Poland.— The Poland, or Polish fowl, is quite unknown 260 POULTRY. in the country which would seem to have suggested the name, which originated from some fancied resemblance between its tufted crest and the square-spreading crown of the feathered caps worn by the Polish soldiers. The Polish are chiefly suited for keeping in a small way, and in a clean and grassy place. They are certainly not so fit for the farm-yardy as they become blinded and miserable with dirt. Care should be exercised to procure them genuine, since there is no breed of fowls more disfigured by mongrelism than this. They will, without any cross-breeding, occasionally pro- duce white stock that are very pretty, and equally good for lay- ing. If, however, an attempt is made to establish a separate breed of them, they become puny and \yeak. It is, therefore, better for those who wish tor them to depend upon chance; every brood almost of the black produces one white chicken, as strong and as lively as the rest. These fowls are excellent for the table, the flesh being white, tender and juicy; but they are quite unsuitable for be- ing reared in any numbers, or for general purposes, cince they are so capricious in their growth, frequently remaining station- ary in this respect for a whole month, gettin^r no larger; and this, too, when they are about a quarter or half grown — the time of their life when they are most liable to disease. As aviary birds, they are unrivalled among fowls. Their plumage often requires a close inspection to appreciate it3 elaborate beauty; the confinement and fretting seem not uncongenial to their health; and their plumage improves in attractiveness with almost every month. The great merit, however, of all the Polish fowls is that for three or four years they continue to grow and gain in size, hardiness and beauty — the male birds especially. This fact certainly points out a very wide deviation in constitution from these fowls which attain their full stature and perfect plumage in twelve or fifteen months. The similarity of coloring in the two sexes — almost a specific distinction of Polish and, perhaps, Spanish fowls — also separates them from those breeds, like the Game, in which the cocks and hens are remarkably dissimilar. Their edible qualities are as superior, compared with other fowls, as their outward apparel surpasses in elegance. They POULTRY. ^61 have also the reputation of being everlasting layers, which further fits theui for keeping in small enclosures; but, in this respect, individual exceptions are often encountered — as in the case of the Hamburghs — however truly the habit may be ascribed to the race. There are four known varieties of the Polish fowl, one of which appears to be lost to this country. Tne Silver Pheasant. — This variety of fowls is remarkable for great brilliancy of plumagt and diversity lors. On a white ground, which is usually terned silvery^ there is an abundance of black spotc. The feathers on the upper part of the head are much longer thaa the rest, d unite together in a tuft. They have a small, d uble comb, and the wattles are also comparatively small. A remar!:able peculiarity of the cock is that there is a spot of blue ':olor on the cheeks, and a range of feathers under the throat, which has the appearance of a collar.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The Poland.— The Poland, or Polish fowl, is quite unknown in the country which would seem to have suggested the name, which originated from some fancied resemblance between its tufted crest and the square-spreading crown of the feathered caps worn by the Polish soldiers. The Polish are chiefly suited for keeping in a small way, and in a clean and grassy place. They are certainly not so fit for the farm-yardy as they become blinded and miserable with dirt. Care should be exercised to procure them genuine, since there is no breed of fowls more disfigured by mongrelism than this. They will, without any cross-breeding, occasionally produce white stock that are very pretty, and equally good for laying. If, however, an attempt is made to establish a separate breed of them, they become puny and weak. It is, therefore, better for those who wish tor them to depend upon chance; every brood almost of the black produces one white chicken, as strong and as lively as the rest. These fowls are excellent for the table, the flesh being white, tender and juicy; but they are quite unsuitable for being reared in any numbers, or for general purposes, since they are so capricious in their growth, frequently remaining stationary in this respect for a whole month, getting no larger; and this, too, when they are about a quarter or half grown — the time of their life when they are most liable to disease. As aviary birds, they are unrivalled among fowls. Their plumage often requires a close inspection to appreciate its elaborate beauty; the confinement and fretting seem not uncongenial to their health; and their plumage improves in attractiveness with almost every month. The great merit, however, of all the Polish fowls is that for three or four years they continue to grow and gain in size, hardiness and beauty — the male birds especially. This fact certainly points out a very wide deviation in constitution from these fowls which attain their full stature and perfect plumage in twelve or fifteen months. The similarity of coloring in the two sexes — almost a specific distinction of Polish and, perhaps, Spanish fowls — also separates them from those breeds, like the Game, in which the cocks and hens are remarkably dissimilar. Their edible qualities are as superior, compared with other fowls, as their outward apparel surpasses in elegance. They have also the reputation of being everlasting layers, which further fits them for keeping in small enclosures; but, in this respect, individual exceptions are often encountered — as in the case of the Hamburghs — however truly the habit may be ascribed to the race. There are four known varieties of the Polish fowl, one of which appears to be lost to this country. The Silver Pheasant. — This variety of fowls is remarkable for great brilliancy of plumage and diversity of colors. On a white ground, which is usually termed silvery, there is an abundance of black spots. The feathers on the upper part of the head are much longer than the rest, and unite together in a tuft. They have a small, double comb, and the wattles are also comparatively small. A remarkable peculiarity of the cock is that there is a spot of blue color on the cheeks, and a range of feathers under the throat, which has the appearance of a collar.

The housekeeper's companion