. Wright's book of poultry, revised and edited in accordance with the latest poultry club standards. n thebone over the nostrils. These peculiaritieswere misunderstood by the older naturalists ;Blumenbach believing that they were rarelyfound in the cocks, while Pallas attributed themeither to disease or a cross with the Guineafowl ; and even the late Professor Owen (in thecatalogue of the Museum just mentioned) in-clining to the idea of disease. The true natureof this peculiar structure, and its connectionwith the size of crest, were first clearly pointedout by the late Dr. Horner, in Wingfiel
. Wright's book of poultry, revised and edited in accordance with the latest poultry club standards. n thebone over the nostrils. These peculiaritieswere misunderstood by the older naturalists ;Blumenbach believing that they were rarelyfound in the cocks, while Pallas attributed themeither to disease or a cross with the Guineafowl ; and even the late Professor Owen (in thecatalogue of the Museum just mentioned) in-clining to the idea of disease. The true natureof this peculiar structure, and its connectionwith the size of crest, were first clearly pointedout by the late Dr. Horner, in Wingfield andJohnsons Poultry Book of 1853. Besides the crest, the majorit>- of the Polishvarieties now bred are furnished with abundantbeards, and side-muffs or whiskers covering thecheeks, while in such birds the wattles haveentirely or almost disappeared. These featureshave however been subject to changes of fashionand breeding in the history of the fowl. Notonly is the present white-crested Black varietystill wattled and beardless, but before the era ofpoultry-shows the Spangled breeds in England. Fig. 129.—Skull of Polish Fowl. were the same, and the late Mr. John Baily hasleft it on record that the first bearded specimens,then called by him and other dealers Aluffeties,were not regarded as true. The late Mr. Bakeris believed to have been the first importer ofbearded specimens, and supported them ; andthis type finally prevailed in all but the white-crested breed. There is one more peculiarity ofthe race, in a two-horned or double character ofthe comb. This is sought as small as possible,and is in most specimens almost invisible ; buthowever rudimentary it may be, the doublecharacter can be discerned ; and in allied breedslike Creves and Houdans the double develop-ment becomes very marked. This generaltendency to development of bifurcation in comb,protuberance in skull, beards, and whiskers, incombination with large crest, is remarkable asthe type of a race which has profound
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