138 VARIETIES OF THE 



have bred the Marsh stock, the Forbes, the Palmer, the Par- 

 sons, the Baylies, and my own importations ; and I have done 

 this practically and experimentally, with a view to obtaining 

 the most prolific, all circumstances considered. 



" The Marsh stock breeds rather uneven, latterly; many of 

 the fourth and fifth generations coming deformed and im- 

 perfect; this stock is very good, however, and most of the 

 birds prove highly satisfactory. The Forbes and Palmer stocks, 

 for Shanghaes, are very superior. The Baylies and Parsons 

 importations are comparatively run out, from long and careless 

 breeding ; and the specimens this year, do not come up to the 

 original at all. The "Perley" Fowls, imported two or three 

 years since into Salem, are good, and the progeny come very 

 like the original ; but they are not so large, generally, as some 

 others. J. Fassell, Esq., of Roxbury, has an importation of 

 his own, which promise finely. 



" From my own importations last season, I have several very 

 fine specimens of pure Shanghaes, uniform in colour and cha- 

 racteristics, and remarkably heavy for their ages the Stags, at 

 five to six months old, weighing eight and a half and nine 

 pounds, and Pullets, of the same age, five and a half and six 

 and a half pounds each, live weight. At maturity, these 

 samples will weigh eighteen and nineteen pounds a pair, alive, 

 I do not doubt. The Cock and best imported Hen, (say 

 eighteen months old,) now weigh, after the first moult, seven- 

 teen and three-quarter pounds the pair ; the Cock is a very fine 

 one, heavily feathered to the toes, (as are also the Hens,) and 

 his colour is a dark brown and black. The Hens (pullets) are 

 of a fawn or pale buff. They are short-legged, comparatively, 

 but heavy bodied, handsomely plumed, and among the very 

 best layers I have ever yet seen. I send you a pair of the Pul- 

 lets, which you can judge of better upon examination. They 

 are & fine sample of the whole. I have a dozen more, precisely 



