POULTRY 



419 



to make them a negligible quantity. Turkeys' eggs are used for 

 hatching purposes only and usually command good prices. 



557. Classes of chickens. There are three terms used to 

 distinguish the different kinds of chickens class, breed, and 

 variety. Class refers to a group of breeds having a common 

 place of origin, or the same general characteristics, or both. The 

 classes most frequently 

 met with are the Asiatic, 

 Mediterranean, Ameri- 

 can, and English. 



The Asiatics (Fig. 212) 

 originated in Asia and 

 are distinguished by 

 their large size, feath- 

 ered legs, low egg 

 production, dark-brown 

 eggs, and slothful tem- 

 peraments. The Med- 

 iterraneans originated 

 in the vicinity of the 

 Mediterranean Sea. 

 They may be recog- 

 nized by their com- 

 paratively small size, 

 featherless legs, pure- 



, . , The White Cochin shows the characteristic bulk of 



White eggS, and nerv- the Asiatic class of chickens 



ous, active dispositions. 



They are the best among all the classes for egg production 

 (Fig. 213). The American and English classes originated in 

 America and England, as their names indicate. Both are 

 about halfway between the Asiatics and the Mediterraneans in 

 size, disposition, and egg production, and in the color of the 

 eggs. They have no feathers on their legs. The American 

 breeds have yellow legs, while the English have white ; there 

 is also a similar difference in the color of the flesh throughout 

 the body, the American being darker in color. 



FIG. 212. White Cochin 



