VARIETIES OF DOMESTIC FOWL. 45 



ROYAL COCHIN CHINA FOWL. 

 BURNHAM'S IMPORTATION. 



On a careful comparison of the preceding plates of the 

 Queen's fowls with the description taken from Richardson, a 

 wide discrepancy will be noticed. The engravings are rather 

 pictures than portraits, and are altogether inferior to those in 

 Mr. Bement's book. It is with peculiar satisfaction, therefore, 

 that I am able to adorn this book with the beautiful original 

 portraits which are here presented. They are drawn from life 

 by Mr. Durivage, and engraved by Mr. Marsh, artists of ac- 

 knowledged ability and accuracy. This representation of Mr. 

 Burnhanrs fowls is believed to be the only correct delineation 

 of the species extant, and I flatter myself will henceforth be 

 deemed the standard of comparison. Mr. Burnham's importa- 

 tion is the best of any of the Cochin China race which have 

 been brought to this country ; and it will be seen, by the accom- 

 panying letter, that Mr. Nolan's stock, from which they are 

 derived, took the premium at one of the agricultural fairs in 

 England, while standing at the side of her Majesty's fowls. 



Mr. Burnham, in a late letter to the author, says of the 

 Royal Cochin Chinas : " The nearest thing to them that I have 

 seen is your Wild Indian fowl." There can be little doubt 

 that this importation contains some of the fine blood of this 

 breed, (the Wild Indian Game,) which greatly enhances its su- 

 periority. In the preceding article, it is stated that the Royal 

 fowls are derived from a mixture of the Chittagongs and 

 Shanghaes; yet those imported into England undoubtedly 

 participate in the blood of the Wild Indian Game. This is indi- 

 cated distinctly by the shape of the head and neck, and corrob- 

 orated by the fact that English writers pronounce them to be 

 " game," when speaking of their habits and prowess. These 

 facts prove the Queen's fowls and Mr. Burnham's to be differ- 

 ent from what are commonly called Cochin Chinas, which are 



