THE SILKY AND THE NEGRO F W L. 303 



A great deal of confusion and uncertainty is current respecting 

 the Silky and the Negro Fowls ; and it cannot be expected 

 that a country clergyman, who has but limited means of in- 

 vestigation at command, should be able, in a first endeavour, 

 to throw much light on a most intricate and difficult subject, 

 or to afford much final information on a class of creatures which 

 have a more appropriate place in the museum than in the 

 Poultry-yard. But they may safely be pronounced to be 

 worthless, as stock : they are kept in existence in this country 

 by importation from India, rather than by breeding. They 

 may be had in London for about 10s. each ; for less, perhaps, 

 occasionally , and a collection of them, and a comparison of 

 their differences, is desirable for scientific purposes. It may be 

 presumed that in India several kinds are to be found, with 

 which we are totally unacquainted. We have, however, quite 

 enough to stimulate inquiry. There are, first, a Silky Fowl, 

 with white plumage and skin, red comb, and bones coloured 

 the same as in other Fowls ; called, sometimes, the Nankin 

 Silky Fowl. Secondly, another Silky Fowl with white plum- 

 age, but with dark skin and comb, and dark bone, called 

 also the Black-boned Fowl. Such as these are doubtless those 

 in the possession of the Queen. "I saw a lot of ugly, under- 

 sized white Fowls, with black combs and indescribable plumage, 

 that had been sent to her Majesty from the East, which I sup- 

 pose are the breed to which you refer. See the article 

 ( Pheasant/ in the ' Penny Cyclopaedia.' My brother tells me 

 that he saw some very small White Silky Fowls which had 

 been brought from Calcutta. If I remember aright, her Ma- 

 jesty's were as small as any Bantams." J. 8. W. Thirdly, 

 there is another kind of Silky Fowls, with plumage almost 

 black, with black comb and skin, and with bones that are black, 

 or of a dark colour : and, fourthly, I am led to believe that 

 there exists, what would be the true Negro Fowl, a bird with 



