MANUAL ON POULTRY. 



ceedingly short, and held tightly to the sides ; the legs, thighs and 

 saddle unusually large in proportion to the rest of the body ; tb 

 head small and carried well up. 



" The carriage of the hen similar to that of the cock in general 

 character, but the head is carried much lower, and the neatness and 

 fine expression of the face are extremely pleasing in really high-bred 

 specimens. *$ 



" The plumage in the cock is very soft, owl-like, and exceedingly 

 downy, giving a peculiar softness to the general appearance. 



11 Cochins possess a great bulk of feathers, each one being wider 

 across than in other fowls. In the hen the peculiar softness of the 

 plumage is more marked even than in the cock, especially on the 

 thighs and saddle. 



44 The neck-hackle of the cock is extremely full, * * * spread- 

 ing over the base of the .wings. 



" The thighs of the cock are stronger than those of any other va- 

 riety ; exceedingly heavy in the feathering ; all the feathers sit very 

 loosely, and 'are peculiarly downy, forming in part what is com- 

 monly called the f fluff.' The shafts of these feathers should be 

 weak and flexible, contrasting with the firm stiff feathers producing 

 the ' falcon-hock,' which is to be regarded as a defect. In the hen 

 the fluffiness is far more conspicuous than in the cocks.' 5 



The Cochins are good winter 

 layers, good sitters and fair 

 mothers. From long disuse of 

 their wings and their heavy 

 weight they can fly but little, 

 and hence can be easily restrain- 

 ed within the desired bounds 

 without expensive fencing. Their 

 roosts should not be more than 

 two feet from the floor of the 

 house, so that they may easily 

 reach them and to prevent break- 

 ing their feet and breast bones 

 in flying down. If they are re- BLACK COCHINS. 



quired to perch upon high roosts they are liable to contract club-foot, 

 a trouble resembling stone-bruise on the human foot, which generally 

 destroys the usefulness of the birds. They bear confinement better 



