390 Mr. E. Blyth's Remarks on M. Sundevairs Paper 



while those from Malacca and Java are in general deeper-coloured 

 than the Jungle-fowl of Bengal. The latter are as true to their 

 normal colouring as any other wild species ; and it is strange that 

 the peculiar minute mottling of the feathers of the wild hen can 

 scarcely ever be matched in the plumage of the domestic hens, at 

 least in this part of the country. rml adi lo 



Capt. Hutton assures me that the Jungle-fowl is strictly mo- 

 nogamous ; and I have been told the same by several Shikarees ; 

 though others maintain that it resembles domestic poultry in this 

 particular. In the former case an analogy might be traced with 

 the common duck [Anas boschas), which regularly pairs when 

 wild, and is polygamous (or indiscriminate is perhaps a better 

 word) in a state of domestication. The British pheasant on the 

 contrary is undoubtedly polygamous in a wild state, being well 

 known even to extend his attentions sometimes to the inmates of 

 the poultry-yard. A Sonnerat's fowl in my possession, which is 

 as tame as any barn-door cock, and breeds as freely with com- 

 mon hens, certainly paired with one for some time, and would 

 take not the least notice of other hens ; but to induce him to do 

 so, I cooped up his partner for a few days, when he soon took to 

 another, and upon my releasing the former he seemed to think it 

 best to remain lord of both, and has continued so ever since, 

 while he exhibits a considerable aversion to some Burmese ban- 

 tam hens that are likewise kept with him*. 



Although the range of the wild common fowl does not extend 

 westward, that I am aware of, beyond the mountains that form 

 the natural boundary of India in that direction, the domestic bird 

 appears to have been common among the western nations from 

 the remotest traceable antiquity ; and this Indian bird is raised 

 even in Iceland. Among the old Egyptian paintings, it is very 

 remarkable that no representation of a fowl has yet been found ; 

 notwithstanding all that has come down to us of the wholesale 

 system of egg-hatching practised to this day in Egypt ; and al- 



* I have already, from the middle of February to that of June, had up- 

 wards of seventy hybrid chickens hatched (besides failures) from this Son- 

 nerat's fowl and his two hens ,* putting the eggs of course under other sitting 

 hens : and if fewer eggs have been produced of late, it is because the hens 

 (which were selected with much care, and are difficult to match) are now 

 getting exhausted. The young hybrids are much more delicate than com- 

 mon poultry, and I have had the misfortune to lose nearly all of them by a 

 malignant variola ; though some are now nearly grown up, which are already 

 showing symptoms of a disposition to breed ; and hence I doubt not that I 

 shall be able to ascertain from them whether species so nearly allied as are 

 their parents might not produce a fertile race of hybrids, i. e. per se et inter 

 se, or hybrid with hybrid. The Pavo indicus and P. muticus would also suit 

 well for such an experiment : and I may remark, that I have now a female 

 Axis Deer pregnant by a Hog Deer; and a pair of hybrids thus produced 

 are likely to be again mutually prolific, if any would be so. 



