50 THE POULTRY-BOOK. 



At the late fowl fair, good specimens of these fowls were 

 exhibited by Francis Alden, of Dedham; S. and G. Hyde, of 

 Newton; C. B. Marsh, of West Roxbury; Theodore Drew, 

 of Plymouth, and others. Mr. Wm. Buckminster, editor of 

 the Massachusetts Ploughman, says, in a notice of the show, in 

 a late number of his paper : 



" The Cochin China breed of fowls, introduced here by Dr. 

 Bennett, of Plymouth, and others, took the lead at least, so 

 far as weight and portly appearance are concerned." 



This breed is excellent to cross with the common fowl, and 

 the half-bloods are much earlier fit for the market than full 

 bloods. 



I have seen the China fowl, from Canton, and a cross of the 

 Great Malay with the Bucks County fowl, sold in the Boston 

 market for pure Cochin China fowls, to persons who were not 

 judges. 



It may be well to add, that the London Illustrated News has 

 fallen into another serious error in respect to the Royal fowls, 

 in saying that " the cock is game, to the last degree, capable of 

 killing the most powerful game cock in a few minutes." This 

 is impossible, on account of their size and shape. The well- 

 trained game cock would leap them in battle, and vanquish 

 them by his superior agility and the dexterous use of the spur 

 or gaff. None of the heavier fowls could live but a short time, 

 if pitted with the best sorts of game fowls. 



