24.2 The Illustrated Book ol- Poultry. 



' A sailor, whose name nobody knows, belonging to a ship whose name no one remembers, and having a captain 

 whose name is also unknown, is stated to have sailed from the port of Luckipoor with the original of these fowls. It 

 is a pity Mr. Cornish did not also forget the name of the port ; for geographical truth compels us to state that 

 Luckipoor is not a port at all, but a small 'inland town, situated in the Himalaya mountains, loo miles from the nearest 

 point of the Brahma-Pootra river." 



On reading this singular criticism, we felt somewliat puzzled to decide whether the writer 

 intended it as a daring speculation upon our own and his readers' ignorance of Indian geography, 

 or really meant it in good faith, owing to his own. But adopting the latter supposition, and 

 availing ourselves of such authorities as were at hand, the following reply was sent, and courteously 

 inserted by the editor of the Fie/c/, with the curious comment appended : — - 



" I must ask you for a few lines in reference to what you state concerning Mr. Cornish's geographical accuracy, 

 in stating that the birds came from Luckipoor, ' up from the mouth of the Brahma-Pootra river in India.' You state 

 that it is a pity Mr. Cornish ' did not forget ' the port as well as the name of the ship and captain, inasmuch as 

 Luckipoor is ' not a port at all, but a small inland town in the Himalaya mountains, loo miles from the 

 nearest point of the Brahma-Pootra river.' This statement is so important that I am sure you will allow me to 

 correct it. 



" First, I think I may say that Mr. Cornish, had he been 'making up' a story, would have taken the very simple 

 precaution of seeing to it that his geography was not so grossly inaccurate as you imply 



" But, secondly, to come to facts. In the excellent Gazetteer published by Messrs. Blackie, Luckipoor is described 

 as being ' si.xty miles S. by E. of Dacca, near the left bank, and within a few miles of the mouth of the Great Mcgna, 

 with which it communicates by a small river. The Megna has a breadth near Luckipoor of more than ten miles.' 

 As the name Megna might mislead some few readers, I add the description oi this, also from Blackie : ' Megna, the 

 name given to the river Brahma-Pootra throughout the latter part of its course, and by which it is known at its 

 embouchure in the Bay of Bengal.' 



" So much for Blackie. I need not add, what is so well known to you, that even the ' small rivers ' of India are 

 easily navigable. But, further, in the 'Penny Cyclopaedia,' art. ' Hindostan,' p. 217, is the following passage, 

 speaking of the rise of the tide in the river Brahma-Pootra : 'At the bifurcation of the Chudna branch it rises between 

 thirty-one and thirty-two feet ; at Dacca only fourteen feet ; and further southward, at Luckipoor, not more than 

 six feet.' 



" These are the only works of reference I have just at hand. I can easily find other testimony, but think you will 

 allow these to be quite sufficient. I enclose for your inspection, however, a rough sketch, drawn for me from memory 

 alone by an old officer who spent twenty years in India, and who inclosed it in a letter which had no reference to your 

 review, 01 to any mistake in geography whatever. You will see his sketch exactly agrees with both the above. 



" I trust you will consider the authorities here quoted as evidence sufficient that the place whose name Mr. Cornish 

 so unfortunately did >iot forget is, at all events, geographically possible to have had the honour he assigns it of first 

 exporting the Brahma fowl. " L. WRIGHT. 



L"We have communicated with our reviewer, and he replies as follows. — Ed.: — 'Luckipoor, as appears from 

 Indian geographies, is a name applied to more towns than one. There is a Luckipoor in the Hills, in 27 

 degrees N., the one referred to by me ; another in the Sunderbunds, 22 degees N. latitude by 89 degrees E. 

 longitude ; and a third in 22 degrees 53 minutes N. latitude by 90 degrees 53 minutes E. longitude, which appears 

 to be the one referred to by Mr. Wright. In " Fullarton's Gazetteer," which is a more copious one than that Mr. 

 Wright quotes, this town is said to be " a few miles inland from the east bank of the Megna," and the fact of its 

 being situated on a small river communication therewith will not alone suffice to make the, town a port, otherwise 

 many places on the tributaries of our chief rivers would rise in rank. Certainly I do not find it among the list 

 of ports mentioned in the Sailing Directions of British India. In reality, however, the existence or otherwise of 

 the port will not settle the existence of the Brahma-Pootra fowl in that district — which is the real question at issue. 

 As far as I can learn from naturalists and others acquainted with that part of the world, no such race of bird is to be 

 found there. If it really does exist, surely there ought to be some more satisfactory evidence of the fact than has 

 hitherto been forthcoming.'"] 



