NORFOLK SOCIETY. 329 



maturity to nearly fifty pounds per pair, while the latter attains 

 to from thirty-five to forty pounds per pair. Early maturity is 

 one of the most noted characteristics of this cross. They can 

 be reared to fourteen pounds weight, dressed, in sixteen weeks. 

 The cross is one of the most acceptable descriptions of fowl 

 that can be brought to market ; where it always commands a 

 high price. 



Your committee noted some specimens which had a small 

 protuberance, or knot, on the necks of the China geese ex- 

 hibited. It appears to your committee that this feature pro- 

 ceeds from an infusion of the blood of the Aiias-melanotus, or 

 black-backed goose, with the Tchin-Tchu variety, which forms 

 one part of the cross, showing that there had been a cross 

 previous to the importation of this lot. The black-backed 

 goose is a native of the country to the north of the Ganges, 

 and is to be found in Ceylon and Madagascar, and is said to 

 be the largest variety of goose. 



The variety contributed are called by the various names 

 (though erroneously) of Hong Kong, (fee. It is agreed, on all 

 hands, by those who have visited Hong Kong, that 710 variety 

 of fowl is bred at that place. C. R. Belcher, East Randolph, 

 exhibited the best specimens of the Tchin-Tchu and Bremen 

 geese. 



Black Bantams. — Some of the finest specimens of this 

 clean-legged variety were shown by Francis Guild, Dedham, 

 and John Fussell, Jamaica Plain. 



JVative Fowls. — A fine lot of native, or dung-hill fowls, 

 were shown by William Hill, Dedham. 



Black Turkeys. — Nearly equal praise should be accorded 

 to those exhibited by Lemuel Kingsbury, Need ham, and John 

 Dean, Dedham. They were all dark in plumage, and showed 

 a strong infusion of blood of the wild breed. 



Silver Pheasants and Sebright Bantams, in their purity, 

 were shown by Charles Sampson, West Roxbury, and added 

 much to the interest of this department of the exhibition. 



In conclusion, your committee would urge on members the 

 importance, — as has been before hinted, — of breeding from the 

 purest of the distinctive varieties of fowls, whether for per- 

 42 



