HONG KONG FOWLS. 89 



wattles, heavy ; eyee, very large ; prominent comb, and dark, smooth 

 legs. The hen is a perfect match for the cock in color and general 

 appearance ; black, save her neck hackles, which are penciled with 

 red. She is a good layer, and her eggs are quite as large as those of 

 the domestic turkey. I am indebted to Dr. J. C. Bennett, of this place, 

 for this noble pair, as a present. Dr. Elihu Halladay, in a letter to 

 Dr. Bennett, says : " the eggs, as far as I could judge, are fine spec- 

 imens. The Hong Kong's eggs from your great imported hen, are 

 different from anything I ever saw or heard of being produced by any 

 breed of hens. They have a resemblance to the turkey's egg, except 

 in form, which is quite different. I feel quite as anxious to raise Hong 

 Kongs as Brahma Pootras." 



For this hen, and a very excellent cockerel, Dr. Eben Wight, of 

 Boston, the former owner, refused fifty dollars, and was repeatedly 

 offered twenty-five dollars for the hen alone. 



The fowls which are delineated at the head of this article, could 

 not be purchased at a similar price. 



There are a great many fowls that are called Hong Kongs, with 

 double combs and feathered legs, and of all colors, but all such fowls 

 are a cross breed. It is generally believed that these fowls were pro- 

 duced by a cross in this country. This is a great mistake. In form 

 and color they breed the most perfect of any fowls I have ever seen. 

 They always have large, single combs, dark, smooth legs, with yellow 

 bottoms to their feet. Any one well acquainted with this breed, 

 would know them by their large, dark-grey eye, not running in cir- 

 cles around the eye, as is generally seen in other breeds, but in spots 

 all over the eye, which gives them a very singular look. I have 

 hatched a large number of chickens this season, from them, and have 

 found them to breed perfect in every respect. 



C. C. P. 



I recently procured a pair of these fine fowls from Mr. 

 Plaisted's stock, and a fine pair of fowls they are. The portraits 

 here presented do not do them justice. They are far superior 

 in form and general appearance to those delineated in the cut. 

 Mr. Plaisted has given them a very fair description. I shall 

 breed them the coming season, and shall then give my views of 

 their merits more in detail, in the Northern Farmer. The 

 premium pair of Hong Kongs at the poultry show in Boston, 

 November, 1852, sold for $40. 



Dr. Bennett speaks of these fowls as follows : 



"This fowl resembles the Imperial Chinese in almost every respect, 

 except color. There is, however, a marked difference in the legs. The 

 Imperial Chinese generally have yellow legs, frequently very heavily 

 feathered, whereas the Hong Kongs usually have dark legs, and almost 

 always smooth. They possess the same excellencies, are equal in size, 

 and are superior in beauty of plumage. The original importation was 

 made from Canton and Shanghae, in the year 1849. The name Hong 



