1 02 Brahma-Pootras. 



limy be unable to trace its genealogical tree back to the 

 root. Whatever may be their origin, I tind them distinct 

 in their characteristics. I have found them true to their 

 points, generation after generation, in all the years that I 

 have kept them. The pea-comb is very peculiar, and I 

 have never had one chicken untrue in this among all that 

 I have bred. Their habits are very unlike the Cochins. 

 Althongh docile, they are much less inert ; they lay a 

 larger number of eggs, and sit less frequently. Many of 

 my hens only wish to sit once a year ; a few oftener than 

 that, perhaps twice or even three times in rare instances, 

 but never at the end of each small batch of eggs, as I find 

 (my almost equal favourites) the Cochins do. The division 

 of Light and Dark Brahmas is a fancy of the judges, 

 which any one who keeps them can humour with a little 

 care in breeding. My idea of their colour is, that it should 

 be black and grey (iron grey, with more or less of a blue 

 tinge, and devoid of any brown) on a clear white ground, 

 and I do not care whether the white or the marking pre- 

 dominates. I believe breeders could bear me out, if they 

 would, when T say many fowls which pass muster as 

 Brahmas are the result of a cross, employed to increase 

 size and procure the heavy colour which some of the judges 

 affect." 



For strength of constitution, both as chickens and fowls, 

 they surpass all other breeds. Brahmas like an extensive 

 range, but bear confinement as well as any fowls, and keep 

 cleaner in dirty or smoky places than any that have white 

 feathers. They are capital foragers where they have their 

 liberty, are smaller eaters and less expensive to keep than 

 Cochins, and most prolific in eggs. They lay regularly on 

 an average five fine large eggs a week all the year round, 

 even when snow is on the ground, except when moulting 

 or tending their brood. Mr. Boyle, of Bray, Ireland, the 

 most eminent breeder of Dark Brahmas in 'Great Britain, 

 says he has ''repeatedly known pullets begin to lay in 

 autumn, and never stop— let it be hail, rain, snow, or storm — 

 for a single day till next spring." They usually lay from 

 thirty to forty eggs before they seek to sit. The hens do 



