NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



435 



GOLDEN POLANDS. 



The Golden Pheasant, Golden Poland, Pheasant 

 Malay and Spangled Hamburg are terms indiscrimi- 

 nately applied by those not well versed in the differ- 

 ent varieties of fowls. The term pheasant, as applied 

 to fowls, we are inclined to think, is but a pleas- 

 ant fancy. Nature is nature, and will not be 

 kicked or coaxed out of her proprieties. She will 

 not mingle the pheasant and the hen, and con- 

 tinue it, any more than she will the fox and the 

 rabbit, or the dog and the cat. There may be an 

 unnatural connection, but its issue will be a mule, 

 shorn of its virility and incapable of continuing its 

 kind. Bird fanciers may tickle themselves with 

 the fiction, but if the purchaser desires a pheasant 

 he must not go to the hen-coop for it. 



The Golden Polands are sometimes called Gold- 

 spangled, their plumage approaching to that of the 

 Gold-spangled Hamburgs. The Golden Polands. 

 when well-bred, are exceedingly handsome ; the 

 cock having golden hackles and gold and brown 

 feathers on the back ; breast and wings richly 

 spotted with ochre and dark brown ; but little 

 comb and wattles. The hen is richly laced with 

 dark brown or black on an ochre ground ; dark- 

 spotted crest ; legs light blue, and displaying a 

 small web between the toes. 



The Spangled Hamburgs are distinguished by 

 their large top-knots being colored instead of 

 white, and the black and conspicuous muffle or 

 ruff on the throat and under the beak. There are 



two kinds,— the golden and silver-spangled ; the 

 ground of the feathers of the golden-spangled be- 

 ing a rich yellow, approaching to an orange-red, 

 with black spots or spangles. 



The above sketch was taken from life from a 

 pair owned by Mr. Raynolds, one of the proprie- 

 tors of the Farmer, who has a fine collection of 

 fowls. 



A. J. DOWNING. 



The sudden death of this gentleman is one of 

 those startling events which ought to admonish us 

 of the uncertainty of life, and of the importance 

 of being ready to receive the dread summons, come 

 when and how it may. Our heart is full of sorrow 

 and sympathy for those so suddenly and awfully be- 

 reaved of one so gentle and good ; one whose 

 clearness of intellect, benevolence and love of his 

 kind has knit thousand of other hearts to his own 

 and those of his near kindred. 



Encircled in mourning lines is the announcement 

 of his death in the August number of the Horti- 

 culturist, and immediately following is toe last 

 leading article for that work from his hands. An 

 estimable friend who loves rural art and human 

 kind as well as the lamented Downing, in a private 

 letter before us says : "We have met with a sad 

 loss in poor Downing, who was so suddenly cut off 

 in the Henry Clay. It is a tearful event to all 

 who loved rural life. The death of such men as 

 Col. Skinner and Downing admonish us to do 

 with our might what our hands find to do." Such 



