POULTRY. 465 



ten pounds; that of the hen about eight pounds. A gentleman who has been a successful 

 importer of these birds writes of them as follows: &quot; I first became acquainted with this breed 

 in I860, when I came across them in Chinese Tartary, and, being an enthusiastic ornithol 

 ogist, I devoted considerable attention to these Turkey fowls/ as the Chinese called them, 

 the natives always asserting in their ignorance that the Langshans were allied to the wild 

 turkey. Subsequently I saw more of these Langshans in the vicinity of Hankow, 600 

 miles up the Yang-tsze-Kiang River, and it was from these that 1 brought specimens to 

 England.&quot; 



The name given them was from the locality in which they were found, which is the 

 northern province of China called Langshan. Major A. C. Croad, of England, who has 

 published a book pertaining to this breed, and is also an extensive importer of these fowls, 

 says of them: :&amp;lt; To begin with the Langshan chick on emerging from the shell the back is 

 always black, its head, face, and breast a mixture of black, white, and different shades of 

 canary. These shades are by no means distributed according to rule, but anyone seeing a 

 brood of Langshans would at once pronounce them to be of one family. I have bred an 

 immense number of these birds, and any variation from what I have stated I have always 

 been able to trace to a cross. The young birds often retain white nest feathers until they 

 approach maturity, and here and there a cockerel sports red or golden feathers, which are 

 repeated with every moult. These (I suppose I must call them imperfect specimens) are often 

 wondrously handsome, the colored feathers having all the sheen peculiar to the black. I 

 have found that from a cock with these imperfect markings you are just as likely to breed 

 black chickens. The face, wattles, and ear-lobes are a bright red color, neck long and ful^ 

 back short and broad, rump high, tail very full and flowing with long sickles; the eyes and 

 beak are dark; black-penciled legs. The hue of the leg I consider a most essential point, 

 for I have never found it to vary. The leg feathering, on the contrary, varies considerably. 

 My imported specimens (with two exceptions that were without) have been what I should 

 consider well-feathered. The plumage is glossy black, very brilliant, lustrous and sheeny. 

 One great argument in favor of their being a pure, distinct breed is, that as a rule they come 

 so true to color and style. They are excellent layers through summer and winter alike, and 

 as table fowls are not to be surpassed, for combined with great bulk is the thin skin, white 

 flesh of fine texture and delicate flavor.&quot; 



&quot;We are indebted to the courtesy of Mrs. R. ~W. Sargent, Kittery, Me., the importing 

 agent of Maj. Croad in the United States, for the fine representation of this breed. 



Merits and Defects of Langshans. The Langshans, being natives of Northern China, 

 are easily acclimated to our country, and extremely hardy, withstanding readily the severest 

 weather. Being of large size, with white flesh and skin, they make an excellent table fowl, 

 more especially on account of the delicacy of flavor which the flesh possesses. They lay 

 large, rich eggs the year round, are good winter layers, while they are less inclined to be 

 troublesome as incubators, since they lack that intense desire to sit that is characteristic of 

 the Cochin and most Asiatic breeds. Their bearing is quite aristocratic and proud. Any 

 tendency towards vulture hocks or russet tinge in plumage is very objectionable, and such 

 birds should be discarded from the breeding pens. 



