ORIGIN OF THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 19 



In all these calculations, we have spoken only of poultry 

 proper, of the gallinaceous order, though custom and conven- 

 ience have extended the term so as to embrace the pigeon, the 

 duck, the goose, the guinea-hen, and the pea-fowl. 



CHAPTER II. 



ORIGIN OF THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 



IN former times, naturalists, in treating of the domestic fowl, 

 classed the cock species and the pheasant together, under the 

 general head of Gallinaceous Fowls. The result of later 

 researches has been , the discovery of sufficient reasons to deter- 

 mine the propriety of distinguishing them as distinct classes. 



The cock tribe is used as a generic term, to include the 

 whole family of domestic fowls ; the name of the male, in this 

 instance, furnishing an appellation sufficiently comprehensive 

 and well recognized. The popular use is followed by zoolo- 

 gists, who have adopted the word " Gallinae," from the Latin 

 gallus, a cock, as the scientific designation of the race. 



This genus of birds is characterized by having the crown of 

 the head usually naked, and the skin raised in a fleshy protu- 

 berance, called a comb. This differs in form and size in the sev- 

 eral varieties. The base of the lower mandible, or beak, is 

 likewise furnished with fleshy, lobular appendages, called wat- 

 tles. The tail is carried erect, and is composed of two planes 

 folded together at acute angles. In the male, there is an elon- 

 gation of the middle feathers of the tail, which causes them to 

 fall gracefully over the others. The plumage of the male bird 

 is characterized by considerable brilliancy and beauty, and that 

 of the female is more modest, and comparatively dull. 



