196 DIFFERENT BREEDS OF POULTRY. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



AMERICAN BREEDS. 



WHATEVER its original source, it has already been recorded 

 how the Brahma itself was introduced into this country from 

 America ; but this happening so long ago, and during the first 

 burst of the poultry enthusiasm, that fine stock became as it 

 were absolved into the general catalogue, and is scarcely thought 

 of as American now, though no other or really Eastern stock 

 has, from that day to this, been ever added to the original strain, 

 whatever that was. During more recent years, however, 

 several other races have also been introduced, which are more 

 generally spoken of as American fowls, and which, although 

 greatly differing, can most conveniently be described in a 

 chapter by themselves. They are all of the useful class. 



DOMINIQUES. This was the first of the series to reach this 

 country, but has since been eclipsed by the superior size of the 

 next to be described. The name represents the plumage ; the 

 " Cuckoo-colour," as we call it in England, viz., a dark blue 

 grey banding on alight grey ground, being called "Dominique " 

 marking in the States. This fowl was at one time very widely 

 distributed, especially amongst the Southern States and in the 

 West Indies. It has a rose comb like the Hamburgh, the blue 

 cuckoo marking all over, and yellow legs, thus resembling, in all 

 but comb and legs, the Scotch Grey to be hereafter described. 



PLYMOUTH ROCKS. In the poultry mania period, Dr. 

 Bennett gave this name to a fowl he compounded out of four 

 breeds crossed together, and which naturally became extinct 

 soon after. Years afterwards the name was revived and given 

 to a much finer breed, which has become very popular both in 

 America and this country, where it now has large classes at 

 shows. There is no doubt that it was produced by crossing 

 the American Dominique, just described, with some breed of 

 Cochins, probably the white. The comb is single and straight, 



