BEST BREEDS OF FOWLS. 127 



273 geese, and 378 turkeys. Westport comes next, with 

 21,502 liens and chickens, 825 geese, 306 ducks, and 273 

 turkeys. Tlie whole number of the last is rather a poor 

 showing for the "king of poultry," there being only 1,725 in 

 all. 



THE POPULAR BREEDS. 



The examination of the cages exhibited shows that the 

 Light Brahmas and Plymouth-Rocks, Leghorns, and Ham- 

 burgs, have retained their popularity in a marked degree, 

 the sterling merits of these breeds being justly appreciated. 

 There were only two cages of Creve-Cceurs and Houdans. It 

 is to be reo-retted that more of our breeders do not turn their 

 attention to the latter especially. For hardihood, laying 

 qualities, and as poultry for the table, they have no superiors. 

 The writer bred them for years side by side with Games 

 and Dorkings, losing no chickens by disease, when he lost 

 one out of four of the Dorkings, and one out of ten of the 

 Games. They w^ere interminable layers ; and the only reason 

 he at last got rid of them was for want of accommodations 

 for the relays of sitting hens which he was obliged to buy 

 every spring. This objection would certainly not apply on 

 a farm where there is plenty of room. 



The show of game-fowls was exceptionally fine, being by 

 far the best collection ever exhibited on these grounds. For 

 beauty and splendor of plumage they have no peer among 

 poultry. There has been, however, a marked deterioration 

 in form within the last few years. 



The aim of the high-class fancier now is apparently to 

 produce a bird as nearly as possible • like those which have 

 been trimmed, and prepared for the 'cock-pit. In place of 

 the exquisite, curving, lustrous tail of former years, which 

 sprang proudly from his back, a fountain of beautiful plum- 

 age, black in the shadow, and flashing iridescent green in the 

 sunlight, we have the contemptible whip-tail (well named ; 

 for it gives the bird a whipped appearance before he has 

 fought), and long, lanky neck, which only the beauty of 

 plumage makes tolerable, and which is, no doubt, the result 

 of a cross with the Malay. We believe that the present 

 style of game-fowl will have its day, and that the large num- 

 ber of breeders to whom the cock-pit is a horror and an 

 abomination will introduce a better standard hereafter. 



