ASIATIC BREEDS. 135 



are more active, hardy, and vigorous. A cockerel of 

 this breed, seven months old, will weigh, if fattened, ten 

 to twelve pounds; and a pullet of the same age, eight to 

 nine pounds; the flesh is well-flavored and tender, and 

 thickly laid upon the breast, the skin is clear white and 

 transparent, and the bone very light and fine. The 

 legs are of a bright slate color, and pink between the 

 toes, and the plumage black with a vivid beetle-green 

 reflection. These birds were first introduced into Eng- 

 land in 1872 by an officer of the British army, Major 

 Croad, of Sussex, who received them directly from a 

 relative living in the northern part of China. Since 

 then a second importation has been received in England, 

 and Mr. Gedney states that the breed has been used to 

 improve the Black Cochins. Since the opening of the 

 Suez Canal, by which the voyage from China has been 

 much shortened, the importation of fowls from that dis- 

 tant part of the world has been rendered much easier. 

 Mr. Gedney sums up the merits of these fowls as fol- 

 lows: Extreme hardiness, rapid growth, great size com- 

 bined with small bone, exquisitely white skin and flesh 

 of the same purity of color, full breast, delicacy of flavor, 

 and possessing none of that dryness so common to most 

 of the large breeds. As prolific winter layers of large 

 rich eggs, the Langshan hens will hold their own against 

 all comers, whilst they lack that intense desire to sit 

 which is so essentially a characteristic of the Cochin. In 

 short, he considers that they " are the finest and most 

 practically useful birds ever brought to England." 



The Langshans were admitted to the American Stand- 

 ard of Excellence by the American Poultry Association 

 at the meeting held at Worcester, Mass., 1883. 



