American Breeds. White Leghorns. 423 



small number at least half that are fit for exhibition. Just as the great natural disadvantages he 

 has to fight against make the Scotch agriculturist the best in the world, so his small jTkxA forces the 

 English fancier, if he breeds his birds and does not buy them, to breed well ; while the unlimited 

 space and food-supply of the American tempt him to a profusion and carelessness of procedure 

 which greatly hinder fixity of type, and have hence caused some cross-breeds, which, though 

 originally accidental, were evidently novel "and valuable, and might with care have been preserved, 

 to die out and become lost in either the parent varieties or a mongrel crowd. Without further 

 preface, however, we will proceed to consider the principal American breeds of poultry. 



LEGHORNS. — Of the existing American varieties, this has been the longest known in 

 England, though not perhaps as long as some others in America. The first specimens imported 

 into the United Kingdom, so far as we are aware, were of the White breed, the gentleman 

 who received them breeding from them one season and then parting with the whole stock, which 

 has since become tolerably diffused. One or two other importations have since taken place, but. 

 nearly all these birds were somewhat too short on the leg and pale in the shanks to please the 

 taste of the best American judges ; and those represented, which were sent over specially for 

 portraiture in this work, are certainly the best yet sent to England, having the rather long and 

 brilliant yellow legs, with the general " high-bred " look, so much sought by American fanciers. 



The American Agriculturist for March, 1869, contains an article on White Leghorns, with an 

 illustration, in which the editor states that his own knowledge of the breed " does not antedate ten 

 years;" and that the earliest stock to which his attention was then directed "generally" had 

 yellow legs, single combs, and white ear-lobes, and were principally hred from freshly-imported 

 stock. As to the character of the fowls, he confesses himself rather puzzled, stating that while 

 they had been called " White Spanish," they knew of " no proper White Spanish " in the United 

 States, and "no true breed" of them had been established, concluding with the opinion that they 

 more resembled Hamburghs. Now we have already seen that there have been in England for 

 many years true breeds, both of White Spanish and White Minorcas, though both of these breeds 

 have either white, pinky, or dark legs. It is, therefore, somewhat remarkable to read in the 

 same article that " pink or white legs are of constant occurrence in the yards of the very best 

 breeders, so far as we are aware, z.y to throw out either class of birds would clearly be doing 

 injustice to their other good poii. We say it is remarkable to read this, because if the 



reader turn to the beautiful plate of White Leghorns which illustrates this chapter, and supposes 

 white shanks in place of the yellow, it will be seen at once that the birds are White Minorcas in 

 every point, and beyond a doubt belong to the Spanish family. This family, we have already seen, 

 abounds all round the Mediterranean ; and there is no reason whatever to doubt, therefore, that 

 the birds may have been received, as it is stated many late American importations have been, from 

 Leghorn, rather than from Spain ; indeed, it is rather probable than otherwise, for whilst it is 

 evident enough that the birds are essentially Spanish or Minorca in all their external 

 characteristics, as also in their non-sitting, it is fully as evident that they belong to a distinct 

 strain or race of these birds ; for while most Spanish breeds are delicate, the Leghorns are extra- 

 ordinarily h«rdy, besides being much superior as layers. That American breeders have improved 

 one of these qualities, and the American climate the other, is very probable ; but however this 

 may be, few who have kept the breed will feel inclined to dispute our conclusion, that in the 

 Leghorns our American friends have given us a fowl essentially Spanish in every character, but 

 which in hardiness and prolificacy is far superior to any of the older Spanish varieties, unless 

 Andalusians may be an exception. 



