Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/799

 COCK 783 five months old as the full-grown common kind ; they may be black, yellowish, or white, bare-legged or feathered, and all equally good. The pure variety is large, with a round short body, broad breast and back, and closely feath- ered ; when a year old, the male should weigh from 10 to 12 Ibs., and the female from 8 to 9 Ibs. They are little disposed to roam or do mischief in the garden ; they are good layers, and their flesh is yellow, juicy, and of delicate flavor. The Cochin Chinas, considered by many the same as the Shanghai, are very large ; the general color is a rich glossy brown or deep bay, with a black horse-shoe marking on the breast ; the comb is moderate, serrated, and the wattles double. From their ability to double up the posterior half of the wing and to bring it forward between the body and the an- terior half, they are sometimes called ostrich fowl. The flesh is white and delicate; the eggs are large, chocolate-colored, and of excel- lent flavor ; and they are good layers. The Chinese fowls were imported from Canton about 25 years ago, and somewhat resemble the Cochin Chinas in size and color ; they are good layers ; the eggs are buff or nankeen color, and the flesh is good ; they are hardy, peace- able, and easily raised; their wings are so short that they cannot fly over ordinary fences, and it is necessary that their perches should not be more than two feet from the ground, nor above each other. The Brahmapootras are either a gray variety of the Shanghai or a cross between the latter and the Chittagong ; they are excellent layers, and their eggs are twice the size of a common hen's egg ; a pair will weigh from 18 to 24 Ibs. ; crossed with the Dorking breed, it is very handsome. The Dorking breed, so called from the English Dorking Cock. town of Dorking in Surrey, are of large size and good shape, and if pure should have two toes behind instead of one ; the silk fowl also is seen with five toes, and even a greater num- 204 VOL. iv. 50 ber of toes has been found, a peculiarity which by great care might become the characteristic of a breed. The color originally was pure white, but they are now generally seen speckled or mottled with black or gray. The flesh is white and delicate ; they are good layers, and easily reared and fattened. This breed is sup- posed by Dickson to have originated from a cross of the Malay with the game fowl. The males weigh from 7 to 9 Ibs., the females from 5 to 7 Ibs. ; when bred in and in for a long time, the comb becomes double. The black Poland, instead of a comb, has the head cov- ered with feathers, which sometimes form a crest overhanging the eyes; there are also white, silver, or golden Polands, according to the general color; the first named is black, with a white topknot ; all varieties with top- knots are called Polands by the English. They are very ornamental, and excellent layers, but so little inclined to sit that their eggs are often put under other hens ; they fatten quickly, and their flesh is considered by many as equal to Poland Chickens. that of the Dorkings. This breed is said to have been carried to Europe by the Spaniards from Santiago. The black Spanish fowl is a large breed, with high-colored comb and wat- tles, doubtless the result of high culture ; the general color is black, and the feathers of the legs, thighs, and belly are velvety; the feet and legs are lead-colored; the distinguishing character is the silvery white cheek pieces; they are excellent for the table, and layers of the first order, and cross advantageously with the common fowl ; from their wildness they are good for ranging over large farms ; the male weighs from 4 to 6 Ibs., the female from 3 to 4 Ibs. The Fayal fowls are the same. The Bol- ton grays have the plumage silvery white, with minute and uniform pencillings of black ; their forms are small, neat, and rounded, the comb double-rowed and sharp-pointed, the wattles large and round, and the ear lobes white; they are good layers, easily kept, hardy, and moderate eaters ; they are also called Hamburgs, of which there are the va- rieties, Creole, silver and gold spangled, and pencilled Hamburgs. The small race of ban- tams, so named from a town in Java, are dis- tinguished by their plumed legs, a variation