My dear Sir

The game cock is the same as what you call the fighting cock. The “duck-wing” is a sub-breed of the game with wings marked as you suppose. “Piles” is another sub-breed of the game with much white about it, & which I do not think worth describing to you. I would suggest in these cases to use within inverted commas the English names.² “Pencilled” fowls have feathers marked with narrow transverse, dark lines: “Spangled” fowls have feathers tipped with a spot of dark colour; these feathers are said to be “laced” when the dark colour runs some way up both margins.³

I do not know any proper term for “hackles”; you will see nearly the same elongated feathers on the neck & loins of the cock; those on the loins are often called by Breeders “saddle-feathers”.⁴ There are two breeds of fowls with black bones; I know of no European name for the breed in which the hens alone are thus characterized.⁵ You will I hope have received by this time some additional clean sheets.⁶

Pray keep Newmeister as long as you like.⁷

I beg you always to ask me any questions you like & believe me my dear Sir | yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin