160 PKOFiTS IK POULTRY. 



The general objection to the Whites is the difficulty 

 in keeping the plumage unsoiled. Where, however, they 

 receive proper care there is little trouble. 



BROWN LEGHORN. 



The Leghorns have a high reputation as layers. Of 

 these Italian fowls, the brown variety has recently be- 

 come very popular. Said to have been introduced by 

 Mr. F. J. Kiuney, of Massachusetts, who bought the 

 first trio that was imported, in 1853, from on board a 

 ship in Boston harbor. Since then Mr. Kinney has 

 made several importations from Leghorn, in Italy. The 

 character of these birds is of the very best. They are 

 yellow skinned, and excellent table fowls, are extremely 

 hardy, and enormous layers. Hens have laid on the 

 average 240 eggs in the year in some flocks. Pullets 

 often begin to lay before they are five months old, and 

 continue laying during the whole winter. They are gay 

 plumaged birds, and have become popular amongst fan- 

 ciers. The Brown Leghorns are described as having the 

 comb of the Black Spanish fowl, with its head and body, 

 and the plumage or color of the Black-red Game. The 

 Brown Leghorn cock is black-breasted, with hackles of 

 orange-red, striped with black ; the ear-lobes are white. 

 The hen is salmon-color on the breast, with the rest of 

 the plumage brown, finely penciled with dark mark- 

 ings. They thrive fairly well in confinement. A promi- 

 nent English poultry fancier is of the decided opinion 

 that this breed is the best of all our " American" breeds, 

 when size and product of eggs are taken into considera- 

 tion. The Leghorns are all called in England American 

 breeds, because American fanciers first developed them 

 as pure breeds, and, so to speak, "brought them out." 



