384 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



goes on to describe the fowls, and makes a strange blunder by 

 confounding them with the Fire-backed Pheasant of China.* 

 The importation alluded to is worthy of note, as constituting 

 the original leaven which has since leavened the whole lump of 

 admirers of that kind of fowl in England and America. 



Many readers will recollect that one of the distinctions 

 which in this country has been claimed between the so-called 

 Cochin-China and Shanghae fowls, was that the former were 

 destitute of feathers on the legs, while the latter, were said to 

 be feathered to the toes. But every one who has seen many 

 fowls imported from Shanghae, knows that there can be no 

 foundation for this claim, as both feathered and unfeathered 

 legs are often found in the fowls obtained at that place. The 

 name of Cochin-China has, however, been given to fowls in 

 some instances, without even the pretence of this distinction 

 to justify it. One of the first importations of the Shanghaes 

 to this country, — that of Dr. Baylies, of Taunton, — were called 

 Cochin-Chinas by a notorious person who subsequently ob- 

 tained the stock, although he was expressly told by Dr. Baylies 

 that the fowls came from Shanghae ! 



We recur again to the work before us : — 



" Having thus traced out the date of the introduction and 

 the place whence derived, let us next inquire something of the 

 characteristics and treatment of the birds as they 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 fre- 

 quently unfeathered. The most admired kinds there, are the 

 game [i. e., partridge or pheasant] colored ones. Many of 

 them are [colored] much like the pheasant 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 booted, as it is technically termed, the 

 point often disputed is now settled, as to whether this is any 



* See Albany Cultivator for 1844, p. 43. 



