FARM-YARD FOWLS. 



117 



SHAWL-NECKED GAME FOWL. 



mon fowl and the pheasant are necessarily mules, 

 as proceeding from different species although of 

 of the same genus. 



That the pheasant will cross with the domes- 

 tic fowl, is evident from the following fact, 

 which we find related in the "Journal of Agri- 

 culture," published in Scotland. "In the au- 

 tumn of 1836," says the narrator, "a wanderer 

 of the Pheasant tribe made his appearance in a 

 small valley of the Grampians, the first of his 

 family who had ventured so far north in that 

 particular district. For some time he was only 

 occasionally observed, and the actual presence 

 of this rara avis was disputed by many ; wintry 

 wants, however, brought him more frequently 

 into notice ; and in due time, proof still more 

 unequivocal became apparent. When the chick- 

 en broods came forth, and began to assume a 

 shape and form, no small admiration was excited 

 by certain lofty, long-tailed, game-looking birds, 

 standing forth among them, and continuing to 

 grow in size and beauty, until all doubts of the 

 stranger's interference with the rights of chan- 

 ticleer effectually vanished. These hybrids par- 

 took largely of the pheasant character ; and as 

 they are of a goodly size and hardy constitution, 

 a useful and agreeable variety for our poultry- 



yards may be secured in a very simple and eco- 

 nomical manner." 



Although the fowl was found in a domestic 

 state in Britain at the time of the Roman con- 

 quest, it is probable that the game breed was 

 introduced after that event. Martin remarks 

 that the ancient Greeks possessed several re- 

 nowned breeds of game fowls, and that Media 

 and Persia possessed others of first-rate excel- 

 lence ; but he thinks it probable that this breed 

 was introduced by the Romans, who are sup- 

 posed to have derived it from the Persians, 

 when Britain was a Roman colony. 



No satisfactory information seems to be ac- 

 cessible now by which to pronounce with cer- 

 tainty on the origin of this breed. It is cer- 

 tain, however, that in India an original race of 

 fowls exist at the present day, bearing all the 

 peculiar characteristics of the species, in full 

 perfection; and the probability therefore is, 

 that these fowls are natives of India. The na- 

 tives of India, it is well known, are infected 

 with a passion for cock-fighting. For this bar- 

 barous amusement these fowls are carefully 

 bred, and the finest birds become articles of 

 great value. 



There is much elegance in all the movements 



