cocniN-cniXA fowls.] 



POULTUV 



[COCIIIN-CUIXA FOWLS, 



Tail. — Black, scanty, and droopinp. 



Letjs. — FfntluTPil to the tot-s; yellow; the skin, in 



the dark varietifS, iiicliiiini; to roil nt the hiu k. 



In the li;;liter vnritties, pule yellow, free I'rum 



blotches of dark colour. 

 Thiijhs. — Fully covered with long loose featlier.t. 



The Hi:n. 



Head — Small ; comb sin^'le ; eyes pale orange, or 

 pearl colour ; wattles sunie as cock, but smaller 

 HI proportion. 



Keck. — Graceful ; small at the insertion of the 

 head. 'In the lighter varieties, tlie hackles 

 graduated tints of pale orange buff; the lower 

 ieatliers brown in middle, outside webs orange. 

 In the lemon colour, free from marking. In the 

 partridge, mid-feather brown, edge golden. 



Sack. — In the ligliter varieties, gradations of yel- 

 lowish buff, accordinu: to class. In the partridge, 

 brown, with yellow sliaft and liglit edge. In the 

 grouse, a darker brown. 



Saddle. — Ditto ; feathers very long and loose, almost 

 obscuring the tail. 



r<a7.— Brown. 



Lcgfi. — Yellow : well feathered to the feet, according 

 witli body colour. 



Thiyhs. — Very full-feathered ; webs long and dis- 

 united. 



Of the gentle disposition of the Cochin fowl, 

 much has been said ; for it seems quite averse 

 to any display of pugnacity ; whilst it may, 

 with safety, be inclosed within a fence of not 

 more than three feet high. From this cir- 

 cumstance, its desire to wander cannot be 

 deemed very great. Tliere are instances where 

 it has been kept in a flower-garden, in a space 

 of about thirty feet long and twelve wide, 

 inclosed by galvanised iron network only three 

 feet high ; and it never attempted to get over. 

 The feathers of the wings being short, and well 

 doubled under, or clipped, entirely prevent 

 its flying, or "over-leaping" a fence. 



An amiable trait in the character of Cochin 

 fowls, is the tameness which they evince in all 

 their relations with man. Domestication, in 

 their case, seems to be brought to the highest 

 perfection : as they will not only readily feed 

 from the hand, but permit themselves to be 

 handled witliout betraying the slightest un- 

 easiness. At first sight, however, they do 

 not seem so attractive as other fowls. In 

 this country, we have bad, constantly before 

 our eyes, clean-legged poultry, with plenty of 

 tail : it is therefore some time before we become 

 accustomed to this eccentricity ; but when the 

 eye has become used to it, there are no finer- 

 looking birds in the poultry-yard than they 

 are — the cock birds wei"liin<j; from 10 to 12 lbs. 



each, and tlie hens from 8 to 9 lbs. In the 

 specimens, the cocka are best— upright fellows, 

 square built, and ubundiintly feathered on tlio 

 leg and ttiigli, with only n bunch for a tail, and 

 a bright crimson saddle. Long golden-reddish 

 feathers fall over eaoli side of the back, just 

 beyond the wings. The hens have a very small 

 tail, and tlio fullness of the thigh is more 

 marked in them than in the male bird. The 

 crow of the cock birds is not like that given by 

 the common chanticleer, but ends with a note 

 similar to the growl of a dog. 



It is not unnatural for the Cochin-Cliina to 

 roost ; but their wings are so defective, tliat tliey 

 cannot attain any considerable height by flight ; 

 and, if enabled to mount up by a ladder, they 

 arc apt to maim themselves in leaping down. 

 A bench, with a top, si.t inches broad, and 

 raised a foot from the ground, with the floor 

 swept out, and fresh sand every morning, is 

 the best roosting-place that can be made for 

 them. 



There appear to be several distinct varieties 

 of the Cocliin-Cliina race, some of them being 

 square-built, and others resembling the Malay; 

 which are considered the purest breed. The lat- 

 ter throw out the indispensable single comb, 

 before and while laying, and, to a great extent, 

 lose the Malay- like appearance about the head. 

 The white Cochin-Chinas are a splendid va- 

 riety, of robust shape, and equally hardy with 

 the others. There is also a variety termed tho 

 "Lovell breed," which, for fulness of breast, 

 generally surpass all others ; but the breed is 

 scarce. A careful and judicious cross between 

 the large Slianghae birds and the Cochin, has 

 been found to improve the progeny in size and 

 constitution ; but, for breeding purposes, the 

 shortest-legged Shanghaes must be selected, 

 and those with most of the properties of the 

 Cochins. 



A correspondent of the Cottage Gardener 

 says, that he succeeded in producing, from a 

 very large imported hen, and a magnificent 

 cock, three or four decided grouse-piumaged 

 pullets ; and so definite is the colour, he says, 

 that strangers, one and all, exclaim, *' How liko 

 the grouse!" They are large, strong upon 

 their legs, and have the usual quiet demeanour 

 of the Cochin. The dark-red and partridge- 

 coloured cockerels, which attain to a consider- 

 able bulk, are preferred by some ; while others 



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