90 Cocldji- Chinas. 



fowls were sent to provide food for man ; by many they are 

 not thouf^ht good table fowls ; but when others fail, if you 

 keep them, you shall never want the luxury of a really 

 new-laid egg on your breakfast table. The snow may fall, 

 tlie frost may be thick on your windows when you first look 

 out on a December morning, but your Cochins will provide 

 vou eofffs. Your children shall learn orentleness and kind- 

 ness from them, for they are kind and gentle, and you 

 shall be at peace with your neighbours, for they will not 

 wander nor become depredators. They have fallen in price 

 because they were unnaturally exalted ; but their sun 

 is not eclipsed ; they have good qualities, and valuable. 

 They shall now be within the reach of all ; and will make 

 the delight of many by their domestic habits, which will allow 

 them to be kept where others Avould be an annoyance." 

 They will let you take them off their roost, handle and 

 examine them, and put them back without struggling. 



The fault of the Cochin-Chinas as table birds is, that 

 they produce most meat on the inferior parts ; thus, there 

 is generally too little on the breast which is the prime part 

 of a foAvl, while the leg which is an inferior part, is un- 

 usually fleshy, but it must be admitted that the leg is more 

 tendej" than in other breeds. A greater quantity of flesh 

 may be raised within a given time, on a certain quantity of 

 food, from these fowls than from any other breed. The 

 cross with the Dorking is easily reared, and produces a 

 very heavy and well-shaped fowl for tln^ table, and a good 

 layer. 



" A great hue and cry," says Miss Watts, " has been 

 raised against the Cochin-Chinas as fowls for the table, but 

 we believe none have bestowed attention on breeding them 

 with a view to this valuable consideration. Square, com- 

 pact, short-logged birds have been neglected for a certain 

 colour of feather, and a broad chest was given up for 

 the Avedge-form at the very time that was pronounced a 

 fault in the fowl. It is said that yellow-legged fowls are 

 yellow also in the skin, and that white skin and white legs 

 accompany each other ; but how pertinaciously the yellow 

 leg of the Cochin is adhered to ! Yet all who have bred 



