46 SHANGHAE FOWLS. 



The color of the Shanghaes that have been described, is 

 variable, no two importations being exactly alike. Some are 

 yellow, some buff, some brown, some fawn-colored, and some 

 black. Their weight may be correctly set down, as averaging 

 at maturity, from fifteen to twenty pounds per pair. 



I have a pair of 5w^-colored Shanghaes, that are very supe- 

 rior. The hen weighs nine pounds, fifteen months old; the 

 cock is younger, but will probably draw twelve pounds when 

 two years old. The pullet is so short in the legs, and heavy 

 in the body, that she walks with difficulty. She is a perfect 

 fowl in every respect, and now lays daily, (Jan. 10th, 1853.) 

 Here is a very good delineation of her, but this cut was not 

 engraved expressly to represent her : 



I have procured these fowls 

 as the best specimens in the 

 country, being resolved to spare 

 no expense in obtaining the 

 best of the various breeds that 

 I shall keep, and I believe the 

 State of New York cannot pro- 

 duce a Shanghae pullet that 

 is her equal in all the good 

 points that constitute a perfect 

 fowl. I shall not be able to 

 spare any eggs from this pair 

 before another year. My own 

 candid opinion in regard to Shanghaes, is, that they are next 

 to Brahma Pootras, and as the latter cannot be had at less than 

 $15 to $25 a pair, the Shanghaes are the fowl, at present, for 

 the public generally. 



In purchasing, pay no regard to the "stock" the fowls are 

 said to be from, as you can place little dependance on such 

 evidence of their value, but see that you get a short-legged, 

 compact fowl, with a short tail, legs feathered heavily as a gen- 

 eral rule, a bright eye, single serrated comb, and the weight of 

 pullets at eight months old, not less than six pounds, and cocks 

 of the same age, eight pounds, at least, with an increase of two 

 to threa pounds on each, when mature. The price for good 

 specimens, is from $3 to $10 a pair, and even higher for very 

 fine extra fowls. 



