CRESTED FOWLS. 



CHAPTER VII. 



CRESTED FOWLS, 



BUFFON, in speaking of the crested cock says -, 

 "The breed of crested fowls ia that which the 

 curious most cultivated, and what generally hap- 

 pens when things are closely examined, they 

 have observed a great number of differences, 

 particularly in their colors of plumage, which 

 serve to distinguish a multitude of races, that 

 are the more esteemed in proportion to the 

 beauty of their plumage and rareness of their 

 tints, such as the gold and silver ones." 



A writer in the Cottage Gardener remarks : 

 " The various breeds of crested fowls are gen- 

 erally designated under the head of Polands. 

 I consider this name incorrect, as applied to all 

 the varieties, as they are usually classed together, 

 and that it ought not to be continued, as it gives 

 the impression that they are only varieties of 

 the same kind, instead of their being, as they 

 really are, of distinct origin. 



"I think it would be equally justifiable to 

 class all single-comb birds together, and also 

 those which have rose-combs in another class, 

 as it is supposed that all top-knotted fowls are 

 of one kind. I am not aware of any wild 

 race that has the full rose-comb, and I believe it 

 is usually supposed by naturalists that that form 

 is attributable to the effects of domestication. 

 The same or similar arguments have been used 

 !;y some to account for the extra or fifth toe to 

 be met with in other breeds ; with equal justice, 

 I contend, the crests of our top-knotted fowls 

 might be assigned to a like origin ; and suppos- 

 ing this to be correct, does it follow, that in the 

 long lapse of years during which fowls have been 

 domesticated, and the various circumstances un- 

 der which these birds have been cultivated is 

 it not likely that if such change did take place 

 once, it might again in a different place, and 



even under different circumstances ? The only 

 wild breed of fowls I have ever heard of with 

 feathery crests, is that which was said to have 

 been found by the Spaniards in their western 

 possessions ; this fowl was called the St. Jago 

 fowl, and has been confused by some naturalists 

 with the Gallus Giganteus of Sumatra or Malay, 

 from which, however, it is quite distinct. The 

 old white fowls with black top-knots are con- 

 sidered as the true descendants of the wild St. 

 Jago, even as the Malay is that of the Gallus Gi- 

 ganteus ; if this is correct, the truth of which I 

 do not doubt, and I think it will also be admit- 

 ted, that top-knotted fowls were known in En- 

 gland before America was discovered, and as one 

 variety is evidently of Persian origin, then they 

 can not possibly be of one kind. 



" The intermingling of the various kinds is 

 also a fertile source from whence, in the length 

 of their captivity, many varieties, by isolation 

 and the whims and caprices of men, have in 

 many cases produced established sorts as per- 

 manent varieties. 



" Thus I conclude, from careful examination 

 of poultry literature, so far as I have been ena- 

 bled to obtain it, that the Persian Polands, the 

 St. Jago, and the crested Hamburgs, are three 

 distinct kinds, and ought therefore not to be 

 called by one name." 



BLACK POLAND FOWL. 



These, like the brave people from which they 

 derive their name, are every way commendable, 

 and are recommended to the " chicken fancy." 



The Poland fowls, as they are generally call- 

 ed, were, according to English authors, said to 

 be imported from Holland. Mr. Dixon regards 

 the Paduan Fowl figured by Aldrovandus, as a 



