92 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



such thorough accord with respect to the identity and character 

 of the male parent is certainly remarkably singular, to say the 

 least, but the matter is surely beyond explanation now unless 

 the following facts offer the solution of the riddle. 



Little or nothing is known of the origin of the Dominique and 

 in this fact, perhaps, lies the explanation of thorough agreement 

 of all our historians on all questions involving that race. Some 

 accounts of the early days of these fowls have been written and 

 some theories regarding their origin advanced, but as to the 

 latter, nothing that professes to be tangible has been preserved if, 

 indeed, it ever existed. That they must have been very long 

 known is evident, as a fairly extended account is printed in Dr. 

 Bennett's Poultry Book, 1850. This account seems to be the 

 foundation for all those published for many years afterward. 

 With this account we find illustrations of the birds of George C. 

 Pierce and Stephen Osborn, Jr., of Danvers, also a statement of 

 costs of keeping and returns for eggs from thirty-eight fowls 

 and the number of eggs obtained from them during the months 

 of December, 1848, and January, February and March, 1849, 

 which shows a net profit and labor income of $24.83, which bears 

 out the statements often made that ''They are first-rate layers." 

 "They are said to be from the Island of Dominca, but I very 

 much doubt it !" This statement seems to be accompanied by no 

 more proof than appears in the similarity of names. 



The claim of an English writer that Dominiques are the 

 result of crossing Scotch Greys with Dorkings is certainly within 

 reason. Other writers have noticed the similarity between Dork- 

 ings and Dominiques. Bement in the American Poulterer's Com- 

 panion, pages 121 and 122, writes as follows : 



DOMINIQUE FOWL 



"This well-known variety of our domestic fowl, there is good 

 reason to believe, is old and distinct, though it is generally 

 looked upon as a mere 'farm-yard fowl' ; that is, the accidental 

 result of promiscuous crossing ; but there are several forms 

 among the farm-yard fowls, so-called, that are seen to be re- 

 peated generation after generation, the counterparts of which are 

 to be met with, scattered here and there, over this country. So 

 constant repetition of corresponding features would seem to de- 

 clare that there are several unnoticed and undistinguished vari- 

 eties of fowls which deserve to be regarded and treated as we do 

 other distinct varieties. 



