144 



acteristics and treatment of the birds as tliey occur at Shanghae 

 itself; and here Mr. Fortune again comes to our aid. In the letter 

 already quoted, he says — ' The Shanghae breed occurs both with 

 feathered and unfeathered legs, but more frequently unfeathered. 

 The most admired kinds there are the game [i. e., partridge or pheas- 

 ant] colored ones. Many of them are [colored] much like the pheas- 

 ant of the country. However, I am safe in saying that the Chinese 

 do not attach so much importance as we do to purity of color ; large 

 size and large eggs are what they most admire and prize.' 



" It being certain that the true Shanghae fowl is met within its 

 native district with plain legs, even more frequently than with legs 

 feathered, or hooted, as it is technically termed, the point often dis- 

 puted is now settled, as to whether this is any demonstration of a 

 distinct breed. Henceforth it must be held to be a mere matter of 

 taste. 



" Mr. Fortune's testimony settles another disputed point. It is 

 very evident that, except as a matter of taste, the light colored 

 should have no preeminence over the darker plumaged ; and those 

 societies have acted judiciously who have given separate prizes of 

 equal value to all the sub-varieties of color. It is judicious, because 

 it is needlessly placing a judge in a very perplexing position to call 

 upon him to decide upon specimens of equal merit in all important 

 points, but differing in color." 



The work then speaks of the black, white, gray (or so-called 

 " Brahma Pootra,") buff, cinnamon, and partridge or grouse-colored 

 Shangliaes as sub-varieties of one breed. In regard to the " Brah- 

 ma Pootras," specimens of which, introduced from this country, are 

 known to the authors, — their " history " is summed up by an ex- 

 pression of the opinion " that it will not prove a distinct breed, but 

 either a variety of the Shanghae family, or the result of a cross 

 between those birds and the Malay." This is just what they are 

 known to be in this country. Some of them came from Shanghae, 

 and some are a cross of these and the " Chittagong," a term which, 

 as used by English authors on poultry, is only a synonym of Malay. 

 Hence they were at first, and still arc in many places, merely called 

 " Chittagongs." 



In reference to names of fowls, there is another matter which it 

 is well to notice in this connection. In the United States, the 

 term Hamburgh is often applied to fowls with crests or top-knots. 



