SOLON ROBINSON, 1850 435 



mals known as Shanghae, Chittagong, and Cochin-China 

 birds, and pretty birds they are. Some of the first-named, 

 are the most outlandish, ill-looking, unloveable of all 

 living things I ever saw clothed in feathers — the Ardea 

 minor, sand-hill crane, or turkey buzzard, not excepted. 

 Observing a gentleman whom I recognised as a distin- 

 guished friend of all sorts of agricultural improvement, 

 but dead set against humbug, busy with pencil and paper 

 by the side of a coop which contained one of these feather- 

 legged brutes — about the ugliest specimen in the whole 

 lot, I took the liberty of introducing myself, and peeped 

 over his shoulder while he drew the portrait of a fellow, 

 which looked as though he might have been the paternal 

 ancestor of the original Shanghae family. After having 

 completed the drawing, which had a very life-like Shang- 

 highish appearance, he gave an extra wink with his 

 laughter-loving eye, as much as to say "what's a cock 

 without a name," and wrote underneath the sketch, 

 "First premium Red Shanghae Cock. Weight entire, 

 head, neck, legs, spurs and claws included, 11 lbs. 13 oz. 

 Estimated weight of body, 1 lb. IV2 oz."!!! 



I enclose the sketch, which I hope you will give your 

 readers, as a strong likeness of a red Shanghae cock. 



This is the same chap the old farmer objected to yes- 

 terday, on account of his ability to stand on the ground 

 and eat corn out of the garret window. 



Some of the Cochin-China breed might answer pretty 

 well for any person desirous of growing chickens as 

 large as turkeys. I am better pleased with their appear- 

 ance, than with their taller China neighbors, the 

 Shanghaes. 



According to my notions of chicken beauty, the wild 

 cock of India cannot be excelled. 



The black Spanish fowls are very noble, military- 

 looking fellows, in their glossy coats, and extremely high, 

 red crests. That, however, is a great objection to them, 

 in a freezing climate. The black Polanders, with their 

 beautiful white top-knots, as large as full-blown roses, I 



