Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Fowl

FOWL, in its general sense, this termis nearly synonymous with birds; but ina more restricted sense it means thosedomestic birds brought up in a farmyardfor the table. Fowls originally camefrom Persia and India, and they arevaluable to the breeder in many ways, yieldingprofit as they do in eggs, in broods,and in feathers. The principal kinds ofthis useful domestic creature are: (1) thegame fowl, with erect and slender bodyand showy colors; valued also for thedelicacy of the flesh and of the eggs. It isthis breed which is used for cock fighting.(2) The Dorking fowl, so named fromDorking, in Surrey, where it has longbeen bred in great numbers for the Londonmarket — a breed characterized by anadditional spur on each leg; often of awhite color, with short legs; one of themost useful of all breeds, both forexcellence of flesh and for abundance ofeggs. (3) The Polish fowl, black, with awhite tuft, a breed very extensivelyreared in France, Egypt, etc., littleinclined to incubation, but valued for analmost uninterrupted laying of eggs. (4)The Spanish fowl, very similar to thePolish, but larger, and laying largereggs, on account of which it is now muchvalued, and very common in Great Britain;black, with white cheeks and largered comb. (5) The Malay fowl, tall andhandsome, and very pugnacious, but littleesteemed. (6) The Hamburg fowl, ofvery beautiful plumage, and much valuedfor the quality both of flesh, andeggs, as also for extreme productivenessof eggs. (7) The Cochin China fowl, alarge, tall, ungraceful variety, withsmall tail and wings. Is valuable chieflyon account of its fecundity, eggs beinglaid even during winter, and the hensincubating frequently. (8) The bantamfowl, a diminutive variety, rather curiousthan useful. Of most of these thereare many sub-varieties and fancy breeds— gold-penciled, silver-penciled, etc. Theguinea fowl, or pintado, is sometimesclassed among the common order offowls; they are very wild and restless intheir nature, and, unlike the ordinaryfowls, they give no notice to any one oftheir laying or sitting; they haveconsequently to be closely watched. Theguinea fowl is very delicate eating, andis in season about Lent. See Poultry.