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THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



TUB OSTRICH FOWL. 



THE OSTRICH FOWL. 



This valuable variety, it is said, originated in 

 Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and are called by 

 some " Booby fowl," by others " Bucks County," 

 or "Ostrich fowl." The specimens from which 

 our portraits were taken were presented to the 

 author by Dr. Eben Wight, of Boston, who in- 

 formed us he procured them from Maryland, 

 where they are known as the "Ostrich fowl." 

 In a letter accompanying the fowls, he says : 

 "This breed are the largest of fowls, and from 

 them you will obtain the largest-sized eggs. I 

 have had eggs from this breed weighing 4 ounces 

 avoirdupois weight. I could have sold fifty pair 

 if I had them to spare." We found the above 

 in regard to the size of the eggs correct ; but 

 since the introduction of the Cochin and Shang- 

 hai fowls they would not be considered the "lar- 

 gest of fowls," their weight being only from 5 

 to 7 pounds after being dressed. Dr. Kittridge, 

 of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, however, says, 

 ' the cocks, when full grown, are represented to 

 weigh from 9 to 10 pounds and the hens from 7 to 

 8 pounds live weight." He also says "some of 

 their eggs weigh over 3^ ounces each, and meas- 

 ure 3 inches in circumference." We have had 

 one that measured 3 inches in circumference 

 and 7i lengthwise over the egg. 



The color of the cock is a dark blue-black, 

 with the ends of his feathers tipped with white : 

 wings tinged with a bright yellow, or gold color ; 

 hackles dark glossy-blue ; double or rose comb, 

 and wattles large ; legs dark ; a bold, lively car- 

 riage, and a stately walk. 



The hen does not differ much from the cock 

 in color or form, being deep, short, plump, and 

 thick-set in body ; legs short and of a dark col- 

 or, and of medium size ; she has a single comb, 

 serrated, generally falling over on one side, like 

 the Spanish hen ; wattles large and brilliant. 



This breed of fowls has one peculiarity which 

 we have discovered. When first feathered they 

 are very dark colored ; the white tips are quite 

 small, and on moulting the white increases, 

 and continues to increase with every successive 

 moult until the white predominates. They are 

 esteemed good layers, and, for a large breed, 

 good sitters and good mothers ; sometimes lay 

 from forty to fifty eggs before they show any 

 inclination to sit ; eggs large and nutritious : 

 the flesh, unlike that of the Malay or Shanghai, 

 white, firm, and fine flavored. In many re- 

 spects they resemble the Dorking, and we con- 

 sider them fully equal to that famous breed. 



We are under particular obligations to Dr. 

 Kittridge, of Portsmouth, for the following in- 

 formation regarding the "Booby fowl," which 



