304 THE SILKY AND THE NEGRO FOWL. 



black comb, skin and bones, and with plumage which is black, 

 but not silky. 



Instances of creatures having bones naturally discoloured, are, 

 I think, rare. The only other one I can call to mind, is that 

 of the Gar-fish, which is not unfrequent in the London markets, 

 a most curious piece of organization, with a long beak like a 

 Snipe, a long body like an Eel, but flattened like a riband, 

 and grass-green bones. " The Wool-bearing Hen I take 

 to be altogether fabulous, and its figure in Aldrov. lib xiv. 

 cap. 14, taken out of a certain map, fictitious. Perchance 

 it was no other than the frizzled or Friesland Hen, which Odo- 

 ricus de Foro Julii and Sir John Mandevil call the Wool- 

 bearing Hen. The birds which M. Paulas Venefus makes 

 mention of in these words, ' In the city Quelinfu, in the king- 

 dom of Mangi, are found Hens, which, instead of feathers have 

 hairs like Cats, of a black colour, and lay very good Eggs,' 

 seem to be Cassowaries." Willugliby, p. 156. A daring 

 piece of skepticism for those times ! However, the Frizzled 

 and the Silky Fowls are quite distinct. Aldrovandi's own 

 words are " The likeness of this Wool-bearing Hen is taken 

 out of a certain cosmographic map. There is a very great 

 city, towards the East, in which the largest Cocks are produced. 

 The Hens are white as snow, and, according to the Odoricus 

 of Forum Julii, (three different towns rejoice in that name,) 

 are covered, not with feathers, but with wool, like sheep. Also 

 Marco Polo, the Venetian, writes, that in the city Quelinfu, in 

 the kingdom Mangi by name, Hens are found that, in the 

 place of feathers have hairs like cats, are of a black colour, 

 and lay most excellent Eggs." Aldrovandi's figure is black, 

 with large wattles, and elaborately jagged comb. The bird 

 is covered with curly locks. But an inspection of these old 

 wood-cuts, especially in botanical works, suggests the idea, that 

 many of them were merely symbolical, intended rather to give 



