OniOIXAL FOWL.] 



POULTKV. 



[onioiNAL rowL. 



there are endlesa varietips. The domesticated 

 Cliinese gold lish is continually varyiiii? aa to 

 the nunibor of both its Una and tails, lu 

 place of one, some of thcao have three tails ; 

 whilst, in point of shape, tho changes are end- 

 less. These cireuiustauccs have a stronji^ 

 tendency to make us ceaso to wonder at tho 

 varieties found in other species of animals — 

 in the dog and tho domestic fowls. These are 

 much more under the inlluenco of domestica- 

 tion than the Gsh ; they are in nuieh more 

 constant association with man; whilst the 

 cross-breeding that is continually taking 

 place amongst them, may be expected, in the 

 course of time, to produce feathers, so dill'ercnt 

 from those which chanicterised their originals, 

 as to give them all the appearance of a new 

 and distinct species. In tho common fowl we 

 might expect extraordinary varieties. Every 

 day experimentalists are trying to produce 

 new breeds, which, in their turn, will produce 

 other breeds, and so on, until the originals are 

 lost, and an entirely diiferent character of fowl 

 is tlie result. 



The principle that "like produces like," 

 applies to fowls, as much as to the horse, or 

 any other species of animal ; and it is from a 

 knowledge of this fact that the breeder acts 

 when he desires to produce another variety in 

 such animals as he may have under his care, 

 and will breed together. 



AVith respect to cross-breeding, Mr. Teget- 

 meier remarks : — " Should it be deemed desir- 

 able to cross the Dorking, for the purpose of 

 producing a hardier fowl, such a plan as the 

 following seems to offer the best chance of suc- 

 cess ; being based upon the fact that, in cross- 

 breeding, the pullets usually resemble the 

 mother, and the cockerels the father. Early 

 in the year, so as to obtain a brood in May, 

 put two or three large Dorking hens with a 

 short-legged compact Cochin cock, either a 

 common buff, or a grey Shanghai, or Brahma 

 Pootra. Erom the chicken?, select those 

 pullets possessing, in the greatest degree, the 

 Dorking character— viz., having liue bone, short 

 white legs, and compact body, square on the 

 limbs ; in the following season mate them with 

 a good Dorking cock. The progeny will be 

 three-fourths Dorking ; and, if care is taken 

 in the selection, will show very little trace of 

 Cochin blood; whilst the size and constitu- 



tional hardihood of tho breed would be much 

 imj)rovcd, by tho infusion of new blood from 

 tho hardiest of races. One caution, however, 

 would bo requisite : if tiiese birds were allowed 

 to breed amongst themselves, they would occa- 

 sionally throw back to tho Cociiin ; it would 

 be therefore necessary to mate tho pullets 

 again with a Dorking cock ; and, as in all 

 cases of breeding for size and strength, great 

 care must bo taken to avoid breeding closely — 

 viz., from birds related to each other." Here 

 is the secret of variety, which we see is tho 

 simple and natural effect of cross-breeding. 



Ecgarding tiie processor domestication, con- 

 siderable weight is laid on tho difference of 

 disposition exhibited in diflerent individuals of 

 the same species, whether they have only been 

 tamed, or fully domesticated. In the breeding 

 of horses, and even of cattle, disposition is 

 greatly considered ; and the breed of a vicious 

 animal is avoided, whatever may be the excel- 

 lences of its physical conformation. 



That the domestication of all our reclaimed 

 species has been gradual, and originally accom- 

 plished by those whoso lives were chiefly de- 

 voted to pastoral pursuits, may be reasonably 

 inferred. In accomplishing this, the process 

 would be both simple and natural. The dani 

 would be either killed or taken from her off- 

 spring, which would be petted and fed by an 

 individual of the household, to whom they 

 would naturally become attached. As they 

 would be always provided with food, they 

 would not be forced to seek it in those wild 

 places to which their originals were compelled 

 to confine themselves ; and from being con- 

 tinually under kind inlluences, and tiie sound 

 of the human voice, they would gradually lose 

 their natural fcrocit}^ and become tame. Erom 

 being tame they would soon be reduced to a 

 state of domestication; and in the multiplica- 

 tion of their species, varieties would be thrown, 

 and perpetuated by the art of those who would 

 naturally make it their study to watch their 

 dispositions, and mark whatever distinctions, 

 in their physical forms, might appear. But, 

 however plausible these arguments may 

 seem, it is somewhat extraordinary that we 

 have never been able to tamo a quail, a par- 

 tridge, or a pheasant. "We have never been 

 able to attach the Argus pheasants to our 

 dwellings, as we have done the peacock ; nor 



