M. Roulin on Domestic Animals. 837 



dies, are, the common fowl, the goose, the duck, the peacock, 

 the pigeon, and the Guinea-fowl. 



The two last species have undergone no change. The pi- 

 geons present all the varieties which are observed in those of 

 Europe. 



The peacock is absolutely the same as in France. It is ra- 

 ther rare in Columbia, but this arises from the circumstance 

 that little importance is attached to its propagation, for the fe- 

 male lays about the same numbei- of eggs as with us, and the 

 young are reared without much difficulty. The case was dif- 

 ferent at first ; and Gomara informs us, that, although much 

 greater pains were bestowed then, much less success was ob- 

 tained. 



The goose, which was introduced twenty years ago, presented 

 the same difficulties on the plains of Bogota. It laid but a 

 small number of eggs at long intervals, and scarcely the fourth 

 part were hatched. Of the goslings more than the half died in 

 the first month. Those which escaped formed a second genera- 

 tion, which had become more familiarized to the climate ; and, 

 at the present day, the species, without being yet as prolific as 

 in Europe, is evidently approaching to the same point. 



With respect to the common fowl, the same thing happened 

 at Cuzco and in its whole valley, as Sarcilasso informs us ; and 

 more than thirty years passed before chickens were obtained, 

 although at Y-Ucai and Muyna, only four leagues from the 

 town, they were procured in abundance. 



At the present day the race originally introduced is every- 

 where prolific; but the English breed, which has been imported 

 within the.se few years, for the purpose of obtaining game-cocks, 

 has not yet arrived at this degree of fecundity ; and in the first 

 year the proprietor of a flock thought himself fortunate if he 

 obtained two or three chickens from the whole. 



When the chickens of either race are observed in the warm 

 districts, curious differences are remarked in them. The Creole 

 chicken, whose parents have lived for ages in a temperature 

 which never descends below 20°, comes from the egg with 

 a small quantity of down, which it presently loses, and remains 

 completely bare, with the exception of the wing-feathers, which 

 grow in the ordinary way. The chicken of the English breed. 



