VARIETIES OF DOMESTIC FOWL. 43 



tailed : " Mr. Taylor writes that the original pair, in conse- 

 quence of being so long from the earth, were sickly when they 

 arrived. He turned them out, and the hen, from May to Octo- 

 ber, laid forty-eight eggs, and hatched out twice. From the 

 forty-eight eggs he raised forty chickens. The last hatching 

 was in October ; twelve came out, and ten were raised through 

 the winter. This is noted to show, that though from an 

 extreme south-eastern climate, they are sufficiently hardy for 

 our winters. He says that the imported cock was a peculiar 

 red and yellowish Dominique, and the hen a bay or reddish- 

 brown; also that the young cocks and pullets are uniformly 

 like their parents, varying only in shade of color. This 

 accords precisely with my own experience, and I have been 

 familiar with the breed for more than two years. 



These characteristics of plumage never fail. The legs of 

 both sexes are of reddish-yellow, sometimes, especially in the 

 cocks, decidedly red, more so than in any other variety. The 

 combs are single, serrated, and of good size in the cocks, mod- 

 erate in the hens ; thin wattles ; no top-knots ; legs very 

 heavily feathered ; bones not large, and consequently but little 

 offal ; wings very small, and when young, carried on the back, 

 bat subsequently let down a little ; tail, not appearing till 

 between the fourth and fifth month, short, well supported, not 

 much compressed, measuring some five inches laterally behind , 

 near the root, and no long weeping feathers. This is regarded 

 as somewhat characteristic, as well as its being of a darker 

 color than the general plumage. In the female the tail is not 

 so short and stumpy as in the Shanghae, nor quite so well sup- 

 ported as in the Cochin cock. As regards the form of the 

 wing, which some make characteristic, it is unquestionably 

 folded up more than in most other East India breeds, but not 

 so as to be placed back at the butt of the wing, as represented 

 in the portrait of Victoria's fowls. 



