CHAPTER I 



Origin of the Leghorn Fow^l 



Hiatory of the Development of the Leghorn Breed of Domestic Fowl, a Breed that now Consista of Eight 

 Standard and Nine Non-Standard Varieties — White, Brown and Blaok Leghorns First Produced and 

 Exhibited in the United States in the Middle of the Nineteenth Century— White Leg- 

 horns Imported from America to England in 1869, Buff Leghorns Intro- 

 duced into England from Denmark in 1888 



J. H. Drevenslsdt 



LEGHORNS have been known and bred for a very 

 long period of years in Europe as "Italiens," prioi 

 to their arrival in America, and are still known by 

 this name on the Continent of Europe. In England they 

 have been known as Leghorns from the time of the first 

 exportation from America to Great Britain in 1868, the 

 name given to the breed by Ameiican fanciers. So, at 

 least, the origin of the name can be claimed by America. 

 But by American breeders can be made the greater and 

 more substantial claim of being the real originators of 

 the immensely popular and distinctively typical and 

 beautiful White and Brown Leghorns of the present day. 

 They received the crude material from sunny Italy and 

 started the refining process at once; and in the early 

 fifties of the last century, fairly good types of both brown 

 and white varieties were seen in dififerent localities of 

 New England, the "cradle of the American fancy." 



Some writers of the past claim that the White Leg- 

 horn was the original Leghorn breed from which all 

 others sprang; other writers are equally positive that the 

 Brown Leghorn v\:as "on deck" ut the same time, and 

 can lay equal claim to being the progenitor of the other 

 varieties. Claims in those days were not always clinched 

 by facts, and we must, in reading over the conflicting 

 testimony of breeders of White and Brown Leghorns, 

 take some of their statements cum grano salis. If the 

 old timers failed to agree on such matters, it is but 

 reasonable to expect that some of our present day 

 fanciers will be of the same mind. To the practical- 

 minded breeder it makes precious 

 little difference which variety made 

 its debut on the American poultry 

 stage first. One is as good as the 

 other, and both are splendid examples 

 of the American breeder's art in pro- 

 ducing two such beautiful and useful 

 varieties of fowl. 



The origin and early history of 

 any race, man or animal, always 

 proves interesting, even if the alleged 

 facts bearing on such leave room for 

 doubt in the mind of the investigator 

 and chronicler at times. In presenting 

 what purport to be facts relating to 

 the ejrly history of the Leghorn fowl 

 and the later introduction of its sub- 

 varieties, we have sifted, as much as 

 was practical for the purpose of the 

 completeness of this chapter, what we 

 believad to be the substantial, from 

 the imaginary data, at our disposal. 



In the "Poultry World," Febru- 

 ary, 1373, I. K. Felch contributed the 

 following data bearing on the origin 

 and description of the Leghorn fowl: 



I have been, ever since their introduction into the 

 country, well aware of the merits of the Leghorn fowl. 

 The first importation of these fowls was made into 

 Mystic River, Conn., in the year 18SS; and they were 

 what we term the Brown Leghorn. The nice pure brown 

 of their breasts was very peculiar, and also very beauti- 

 ful in color — in fact, so much so that I sold many of them 

 to the taxidermists for their feathers, of which many a 

 crest has been made and has appeared on the hat of 

 many a gentlewoman as she passed along the street, hav- 

 ing purchased same as imported feathers. 



The hens in color generally present reddish brown, 

 running in some cases into pure brown color; and in 

 weight they seldom exceed four pounds, while an average 

 would be three and one-half pounds. While young, and 

 before commencing their first litter of eggs, they resemble 

 very much the Derby Game hens, their comb never be- 

 coming fully developed until they commence to lay, when 

 it comes out a pure red and so clear that the reflection of 

 light can be seen through it. 



Hens whose combs stand upright are, to my mind, 

 preferable, as it is these which geneially produce the most 

 perfect cock; a lopped-comb cock is very objectionable, 

 and if your breeding hens are those whose combs fall 

 over to one side of their heads, as I have seen them, so as 

 to cover the eye, one need not expect to breed more than 

 one-half the cocks with upright combs. In the first im- 

 portation the combs were so large as to be a great de- 

 formity. 



The cocks should weigh from four and one-half to 

 five pounds, at twelve months of age, and never exceed it; 

 and in color they should be identical with the Black-Red 

 Game. I regret that the "Standard" so poorly describes, 

 or, as I may say, fails so entirely to describe it. 



The beak and legs should be yellow, and the latter 

 quite short; breast, black (splashes of brown objection- 



FIRST 



