144 THE COCHIN CHINA FOWL. 



to lay, and the Cocks are not reduced, as they are at the close 

 of the breeding season. The thirteen and a half pounds Hen 

 just mentioned, was reduced in her third moult from thirteen 

 and a quarter pounds to eight pounds ten ounces ! Others, of 

 course, are proportionately reduced by the same cause. 



Very little is known of the origin of the Cochin China Fowl, 

 further than that some gentleman, three or four years ago, 

 presented a few to the Queen of England, who subsequently 

 had them bred at Windsor Park. In order to promote their 

 propagation, her Majesty made presents of them occasionally 

 to such persons as she supposed likely to appreciate them. 

 They differ very little in their qualities, habits, and general 

 appearance from our Shanghaes, to which they are undoubtedly 

 nearly related. The Egg is nearly the same size, shape, and 

 colour ; both have an equal development of comb and wattles, 

 the Cochins slightly differing from the Shanghaes, chiefly in 

 being somewhat deeper and fuller in the breast, not quite so 

 deep in the quarter, and being usually smooth-legged, while 

 the Shanghaes, generally, are more or less heavily feathered. 

 The plumage is much the same in both cases, nor have I dis- 

 covered any difference in the crow, it being in both equally 

 sonorous and prolonged, differing considerably from that of the 

 great Malay. Mr. Nolan says " that full-grown Cocks, from 

 one and a half to two years old, average a weight of from ten 

 to twelve pounds, the Hens from eight to nine pounds. The 

 male bird stands about two feet high ; the female about twenty- 

 two inches The Cock's comb is usually single, serrated. 



and erect, of a brilliant scarlet, but not always single ; I have 

 had both single and double combs in the same clutch ; the 

 wattles are large ; they are quite free from top-knots ; the 

 hackles on the neck and hips, yellowish-brown ; the tail black, 

 with metallic lustre, and, when fully furnished, presents the 

 usual cock's plume ; the legs vary from a flesh-colour to an 

 orange-yellow, and are not so long as in the Malay ; the Eggs 



