B1KU9. 113 



lived animal ; but how long these birds live, if left to themselves, 

 is not yet well ascertained by any historian. As they are kept 

 only for profit, and in a few years become unfit for generation, 

 there are few that, from mere motives of curiosity, will make 

 this tedious experiment of maintaining a proper number till they 

 die. Aldrovandus hints their age to be ten years ; and it is pro- 

 bable that this may be its extent. They are subject to some 

 disorders, which it is not our busniess to describe ; and as for 

 poisons, besides nux vomica, which is fatal to most animals ex- 

 cept man, they are injured, as Linnteus asserts, by elder-berries, 

 of which they are not a little fond.* 



* We shall here notice, from the English Supplement to Cuvicr, a few of 

 the varieties, or sub-races, of the domestic cock. 



The Crested Cock [Gallus Cristatus) differs from the domestic, by having' 

 an ample tuft of feathers, instead of a fleshy comb, upon tlie head ; but it 

 retains the wattles. Some, indeed, have these replaced by bunches of fea- 

 thers ; and in one — said to be of a cross-breed Avith the cocks of Hambiu-gli, 

 or perhaps this race itself, for it does not differ from Cristatus except iu 

 having the eyes surrounded with a circle of feathers — similar plumes, fall- 

 ing back horizontally, cover the ears, the occiput, and sometimes the throat. 



The race of crested cocks is particularly in estimation with the curious. 

 It is cultivated with great care ; and those who are desirous of propagating 

 any singular varieties of it, isolate certain individuals, and do not suffer 

 them to mingle with others, iu which the colours are diti'orently distributed. 

 Such varieties are more esteemed in proportion as the colours are more 

 rare, or as the tuft contrasts with the rest of the plumage. Though the 

 ditferences of pliunage are thus preserved pretty constant, it is certain that 

 they owe their origin to the same race, and carmot be reproduced in all 

 their purity without the surveillance of man. Sonnini tells us that these 

 cocks are much esteemed in Kgypt, in consequence of the goodness of their 

 flesh. In Upper Egypt they are so common that they are sold at the rate of 

 two-pence or thrce-peuce a-piece. They are equally abundant at the Cape 

 of Good Hope. 



The Turkish and Bantam Cock's do not differ very materially from our 

 domestic race ; and have also much analogy with the Javan species. They 

 resemble eacli other in size ; their tail is not nearly so vertical ,-w in our 

 domestic breed, and they are smaller than our cock. The Bantam cocks 

 difl'er from the Turkish in the featliers, more or less long, with «hich the 

 tarsus, and frequently even the toes, are covered. These feathers do not 

 constitute any specific difference ; they appear to be simply the effect of su- 

 perabundant nourishment, with the inseparable consequence of domestica- 

 tion. The same effect, produced by the same causes, is found in many races 

 of the domestic pigeon which have also the tarsi and feet furnished with 

 feathers, of greater or less length. The races of the Turkish and Bantam 

 cocks are distinguished by a very brilliant plumage, which in the cocks is 

 most generally of a golden lustre. 



The Duarf Cock, though much inferior in f ize to the other race, is very 



k3 



