33 



THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 



two inches in diameter, and gives them little or no feed and fresh water. Ho 

 thinks a hard bed a good cure for indolent habits. Although called Cochin 

 Chinas, the Buff Cochins are the real Shanghaes. They were unknown to 

 the Southern Chinese, and they never claimed them as their native fowl, and 

 were as much astonished at their size as we were when they first came to 

 this country. The Shanghae breed had feathered and unfeathered legs, but 

 were more frequently unfeathered. Fashion, however, calls for booted-legs. 

 There are three varieties of color Buff, Lemon and Cinnamon. The Buff 



COCHIN HEN. 



seem to be the most desired. There are also Silver Buffs and Silver Cinna- 

 mons. The latter, if well marked, are very beautiful and rare. 



The carriage of the cock should be upright and majestic ; breast very 

 broad, forming a straight line from the crop to the thighs ; back short and 

 wide ; tail very slightly raised, and the wings very short and held tightly to 

 the sides ; the legs, thighs and saddles unusually large in proportion to the 

 rest of the body ; head small and carried weii up ; a stout, curved and yel- 

 low beak, with plenty of substance at the base, and the shorter the better. 

 The carriage of the hen must be similar in general character to the cock, ex- 



