POULTRY. 139 



CHAPTER XXX. 



POULTRY. 



ORIGIN. In addition to the common poultry of the farm, 

 we have turkeys, geese, ducks ; also guinea-fowls, pea-fowls and 

 pheasants. These are all closely related to various kinds of 

 wild fowls and some of them are very similar to these wild 

 fowls in appearance. In our common fowls there are very 

 many varieties of breeds, from the small bantams to the large 

 brahmas, differing in size, in shape, and in the color and form 

 of feather or plumage. It is believed that all have been derived 

 from one original source, a wild breed of fowl. Many consider 

 that the common Jungle Fowl of India is the source from 

 which have come all the varieties. This fowl is somewhat like 

 the Black-breasted Red Game, and is still found in India. 

 Others think a wild fowl now no longer found is the ancestor. 

 How have our breeds been formed ? Just as new breeds are 

 now being formed. Suppose we take a flock of fowls and observe 

 them from year to year, as they increase in number. We shall 

 get some chickens that, as they grow, show differences in form, 

 size and color. Even if they are all one variety, here and there 

 one will appear having some slight difference from the others. 

 We select two or three that have a new coloring in their 

 feathers that we desire to continue. Those selected are differ- 

 ent from the others, but similar to one another. We place 

 them by themselves and allow them to breed. The chickens 

 that we raise from them will probably have the same peculiar 

 kind of feathers. We select those that are most alike and 

 breed from them. After a few years we may be able to raise 

 a number of fowls that are quite similar in appearance to one 



