302 THE SILKY AND THE NEGRO FOWL. 



" The < Philosophical Transactions of the year 1693/ inform 

 us that the Cocks of Virginia have no rumps ; the inhabitants 

 of this colony affirm that when Cocks are transported there 

 they soon lose their rump ; but this opinion is false, and has 

 not been confirmed by modern travellers. Buffon, who seems 

 to put faith in this improbable story, appears to conclude from 

 it, that this species originated in Virginia \ ( the more so/ 

 says this naturalist, < as the ancients were unacquainted with 

 them, and naturalists did not begin to mention them till after 

 the discovery of America/ " 



Such are the marvellous effects of climate ! Such are the 

 foundations for doctrines which common sense cannot help be- 

 lieving dangerous in tendency, as well as false in principle ! 

 That such nonsense should influence the opinion of learned 

 philosophers ! nonsense deserving only to be answered by 

 other nonsense. If this wasting away of the indescribable 

 part of the bodily frame be general in Virginia ; if the inhabit- 

 ants of that State really are subject to the loss shall we dare 

 say it? of their rumps, what a profitable speculation it 

 would be to send out to them a few ship-loads of bustles, to 

 try if they also will disappear by the influence of the climate ! 



THE SILKY AND THE NEGRO FOWLS. 



ANOMALIES have been called " finger-posts, that point the 

 way to unsuspected truths." This strange genus for their 

 claims to that title deserve to be investigated ought to excite 

 the curiosity of naturalists, though they have not much me- 

 rited the favour of Poultry-keepers. Even if it be found that 

 they produce prolific offspring when cooped with our common 

 Poultry, that circumstance cannot be allowed to weigh for 

 much in our present most imperfect knowledge of the family. 



