56 REPORT ON POULTRY. 



vancement and respectability, and said he was ready to hear 

 any suggestions tending to promote the objects of the Conven- 

 tion. 



Mr. Cochin China then arose, and said he supposed the best 

 mode of effecting these objects, would be for the members to 

 m.ake known their several wants and grievances, and then 

 leave it to the Convention to provide a remedy. He well 

 knew that they had grievances enough to complain of, and the 

 first and greatest was their deprivation of liberty. He conten- 

 ded that all the races of domestic fowls were originally free to 

 roam over the earth, like pheasants and partridges, selecting 

 their own nests, and caring for their own young, and all he 

 desired was a restoration to their ancient state of freedom. 



Mr. Golden Poland spoke in reply, and said he was not pre- 

 pared to go on a wild goose chase after liberty, while they al- 

 ready enjoyed more than they knew what to do with. He 

 thought it would better become some fowls to improve their 

 plumage, and present a respectable appearance in society. 



Mr. Peacock was of the same opinion. He said we could 

 hardly over-estimate the importance of making a good show 

 in the world, but to do this it was absolutely essential to wear 

 long tail-feathers. 



Mr. Bantam remarked that he was as much in favor of a be- 

 coming dress, as his friend who had just spoken ; but he must 

 dissent from his opinion about long tail-feathers. The only 

 truly graceful garb is the original Bantam Costume — a short 

 dress and pan tale tts. 



A tom pigeon of the Pouter family rose, and addressing the 

 RoosT, asked what all this frivolous talk about dress had to do 

 with the business of the convention ? He understood that we 

 had met to consult about our wrongs. He thought the time 

 could not be better employed than by looking after grievances. 

 If we had none of our own, it was always pleasant to enter 

 warmly into those of other people. He had often noticed the 

 oppressions of the man power on the gallinaceous tribes and 

 always with the greatest indignation. But he had one griev- 

 ance of his own to present. He would like to know the mean- 



