THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 41 



the pheasant and common fowl are of frequent occur- 

 rence. The London Zoological Society have possessed 

 several, which were for a time kept together, but 

 showed no signs of breeding ; they are considered, like 

 other hybrids, to be unproductive among themselves, 

 all being half-bred ; but when paired with the true 

 pheasant or the fowl, the case is different. The society 

 has had exhibited at the evening meetings two instances 

 of success in this sort of second cross. The first was 

 in 1831 ; the second instance in 1836. Two cases 

 only, and those in the second cross, ascertained during 

 all the time that the society has had extraordinary 

 means at command, are exceptions so rare, as to con- 

 firm the rule that such mules are barren, and incapable 

 of founding a family, and becoming the ancestors of a 

 distinct race. A correspondent in the London Agri- 

 cultural Gazette, a most successful breeder of theni, 

 also admits, that, after many trials of these paired 

 hybrids, he had " never brought up but two to be 

 a' most hens," and that they took the megrims 

 (staggers,) and died. 



And yet, an evidently sincere writer in the publica- 

 tion last referred to, declares : " From what I have 

 seen of the plumage of birds casually produced at the 

 wood side, (from crossing with pheasants,) I believe a 

 judicious and scientific selection would lead to the 

 production of very fine varieties, and that, among 

 others, the dark pheasant-plumed breed, both of Ban- 

 tams and common poultry, would reward the patient 

 inquirer." 



The pheasant-Malays are described as large, well- 

 flavored, good sitters, good layers, good mothers, and 

 in many points an ornamental and desirable stock. 

 The eggs vary in size, some very large, in summer, 

 smooth but not polished, sometimes tinged with light- 

 buff, balloon-shaped, and without the zone of irregu- 

 larity. Six eggs of these hens weigh very nearly 12 

 ounces. 



This breed is very graphically described by a late 



