VARIETIES OF DOMESTIC FOWL. 77 



THE PLYMOUTH ROCK FOWL. 



This plate contains portraits of fowls from a brood raised by 

 G. P. Burnhara, Esq., of Roxbury, hatched last April. I have 

 given this name to a very extra breed of fowls, which I pro- 

 duced by crossing a cockerel of Baylies' importation of Cochin 

 China with a hen, a cross between the Fawn-colored Dorking, 

 the Great Malay, and the Wild Indian. Her weight is six 

 pounds and seven ounces. The Plymouth Rock Fowl, then, 

 is, in reality, one half Cochin China, one fourth Fawn-colored 

 Dorking, one eighth Great Malay, and one eighth Wild Indian ; 

 having five primitive bloods, Shanghae, Malay, Game, Turk- 

 ish, and Indian, traceable by referring to the history of those 

 breeds and their crosses respectively. There are several of 

 this breed in Plymouth, from my original stock, belonging 

 to Messrs. John H. Harlow, Samuel Shaw, and myself, 

 that are now a little over one year old ; the cockerels meas- 

 ure from thirty-two to thirty-five inches high, and weigh 

 about ten pounds, and the pullets from six and a half to seven 

 pounds each ; forming, in my opinion, the best cross that has 

 ever been produced. The pullets commenced laying when five 

 months old, proving themselves very superior layers. Their 

 eggs are of a medium size, rich, and reddish-yellow in color. 

 Their plumage is rich and variegated ; the cocks, usually red 

 or speckled, and the pullets darkish brown. They are very fine 

 fleshed, and early fit for the table. Their legs are very large, 

 and usually blue or green, but occasionally yellow or white, 

 generally having five toes upon each foot. Some have their 

 legs feathered, but this is not usual. They have large and 

 single combs and wattles, large cheeks, rather short tails, and 

 small wings in proportion to their bodies. They are domestic, 

 and not so destructive to gardens as smaller fowls. There is 

 the same uniformity in size and general appearance, at the 



