62 Bird - Lore 



to the production of eggs or of marketable food, together with a practical ex- 

 perience of the difficulties of keeping poultry up to a given standard of health, 

 production, and purity of strain. Success with poultry is not a matter of 

 luck, guesswork or anything else which denotes a careless, unintelligent method. 



Scientists of reputation have devoted years of painstaking study to the 

 domesticated fowl, while in every state in the Union an agricultural college of 

 standing is putting into practice the laws which govern the maintenance of the 

 highest grade of poultry production. The history of a common hen has as much 

 attraction as the story of many a world-traveler. If we turn back to look for 

 the origin of the hen, we find that we must practically encircle the globe. In 

 India, southern China, and the East Indies there still persists a wild fowl known 

 as the Jungle Fowl, from which some of our domesticated poultry have des- 

 cended. "The oldest fowl in domestication, however, is the Aseel or Malay 

 fowl, which has been bred for over 3,000 years," the origin of which is still 

 uncertain. "It is still possible that the ancestor of this bird or its bones may 

 be found in the interior of New Guinea, Borneo or the Philippines." 



There are notable differences between the Jungle and Aseel fowls, differences 

 important for us to learn about, "The Jungle Fowl is a slender, agile bird with 

 long wings, erect tail and a good flyer, while the Aseel is a very broad, heavy 

 bird with short wings, drooping tail and unable to fly. The Jungle Fowl 

 has a long, slender beak; that of the Aseel is short and thick. The comb of 

 the former is single, high; that of the latter triple and low. The former has 

 slender, olive-colored shanks; the latter thick and yellow shanks. The Jungle 

 Fowl has a red eye; that of the Aseel is pearl-colored." In coloration and pattern 

 of plumage these two ancient stocks differ widely. The Aseel is a mottled 

 bird while the Jungle Fowl is variegated red with a black breast. Internally, 

 as well as externally, the two are unlike, as their descendants prove, for the 

 "nervous, flighty, egg-laying races," such as the Leghorn, Minorca, Spanish, 

 Andalusian, trace back to the wild Jungle Fowl, while the large, stocky, poor 

 egg-layers, like the Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Orpingtons come from the 

 Aseel or Malay fowl. By studying the heredity of fowl we discover which kinds 

 are better egg-producers and which are more suitable for the table. Historically, 

 the story of the distribution of poultry is worthy your attention. It is prob- 

 able that Alexander the Great brought back from his expeditions to Persia 

 some, and perhaps most, of the races of fowl "that first spread over Europe." 



Descendants from the Aseel fowl were brought to America, so that we can 

 trace our Asiatic breeds and many of our large breeds to Eastern India and 

 China. 



Let me suggest that during the cold month of February you study the 

 hen and write out its history. If possible, add to this study the wild turkey 

 and compare the history of these two important types of birds. Before spring 

 comes, be prepared to name from pictures, or by visiting poultry-farms or 

 poultry-shows, at least six races of poultry. Learn the difference between these 



