ESSEX SOCIETY. 95 



the production of an extra finger or toe in some families of the 

 human race." 



Our own opinion is, that the fifth toe may be considered a 

 distinctive mark of the Dorking. This fowl is well known in 

 our vicinity, and several gentlemen (among others, Charles G. 

 Loring, of Beverly, Allen W. Dodge, of Hamilton, R. P. Wa- 

 ters, of Beverly, and John H. Brookhouse, of Salem,) have 

 found this breed excellent layers, and good fowls in all re- 

 spects. 



The Polish Fowl. — Mr. Richardson speaks of three sub-va- 

 rieties of the Polish fowl. 



1st. The Spangled Polish, " a bird of extraordinary beauty, 

 and extremely scarce." 



2d. The black fowl, with a white tuft on the crown. 



3d. A variety, which he says, " is the most pure and un- 

 mixed of the three. Its color is a brilliant white, with a jet- 

 black top-knot. I have never myself, seen a specimen of the 

 breed, and have every reason to suppose it extinct, or nearly 

 so." 



The second variety, the black fowl with a white tuft on the 

 crown, is well known to farmers, and is justly considered a 

 valuable breed. These fowls are excellent layers, and seldom 

 incline to sit ; in order, however, to insure their laying well in 

 winter, they must be kept warm. The chickens, when young, 

 are delicate, and much affected by changes of the weather. 

 Mr. Richardson speaks of " these birds as having been brought 

 from St. Jago by the Spaniards, to whom they owe their first 

 introduction into Europe. Their color is a shining black, and 

 both cock and hen have the white top-knot." 



The Cochin China Fowl. — Of this fowl, Mr. Richardson 

 says : — 



" This gigantic bird has been only very recently introduced 

 into Great Britain, and it is to that royal patroness of poultry 

 fanciers, the nature-loving Victoria, that we owe its addition to 

 our stock of domestic fowls. This variety of fowl so far siur- 

 passes, both in size and power, all that we have ever yet seen 

 in the shape of poultry, as to have led many persons not con- 

 versant with zoology, on first viewing them, to refer them to 



