//. n/orv// HOCK MTAXDAKD AND BKMKD BOOK so 



Plymouth Rock fowls that do not occasionally throw feather- 

 legged chicks?' It is surprising that Mr. Corbett, getting his 

 birds from the Spaulding stock, through Mr. Ramsdell, should 

 have struck so early as this, etc.' ' : 



Mark Pitman's Opinion. Mark Pitman also told the writer 

 verbally that all the trios that Upham showed at Worcester in 

 1869 wore feathers on the shanks, some more and some less. 

 This feature, however, might be attributed to the cock bird of 

 Burnham's blood which, according to Upham's accounts, was 

 bred for one year in Upham's yards. Here, however, we find 

 three instances of the Spaulding stock which was not subjected 

 to that influence, showing a most decided tendency to show 

 feathered shanks. This tendency must have been due to the 

 influence of the Dominique or the Black Asiatic. This fault of 

 feathered shanks certainly should not be charged against the 

 Dominique; therefore, it must be charged against the Black 

 Asiatic. That being the case, what breed other than a Cochin 

 could the Black Asiatic have been? For, according to all our 

 descriptions, a feather-legged Black Java is just what the first 

 standard makers called it a Black Cochin. 



The Modern Java. The modern Java is of later development 

 and was recognized as a standard breed in 1883. Its origin is 

 undoubtedly the same as the Plymouth Rock and has been called 

 a Black Plymouth Rock. The book describing Plymouth Rocks 

 about 1880 gives the information that black females often occur, 

 and we obtain information of the same character from Rams- 

 dell's article, Upham and others. Such being the case, it is plain 

 that black males could have been produced by repeated selection 

 or by crossing with the Spanish or some black variety. 



The points of this Java-Cochin controversy have been pre- 

 sented fully because it seems encumbent upon a treatise of this 

 nature to present the facts as far as they can be ascertained and 

 the opinions of those who had the best opportunities to observe 

 and gain a knowledge of the facts as nearly first-handed as pos- 

 sible and who were the most competent to judge. D. \. Upham 

 and Mark Pitman, of all men living in 1900 and 1901, seemed to 

 be those men, and as their accounts, though verbal for the most 

 part, but related many miles apart and obviously at different 

 times, coinciding in every essential detail, practically put the 

 writer's mind at rest on this much mooted question. Upham, 

 though well along in years at the time, was vigorous physically 

 as well as mentally and most positive as to the facts as related. 



