Qualities of Drown Leghorns. 427 



Being anxious to test the stock, and having some suspicion the birds might have been created 

 by crossing White Legliorns with Game, we hatched a brood of chicles on the 1st of August. Except 

 one or two brol<en, every egg hatched, and not a chicle died. We know no fowls which feather 

 so quickly, except Houdans and Andalusians. Being very short of room and accommodation, 

 owing to a recent removal, the chicks had an open shed to roost in, but grew up perfectly 

 hardy, and with no care whatever, in spite of the very late date of hatching. They were very 

 uniform in colour in their first feathers, but in their second or adult plumage two of the cockerels 

 moulted black, all but some reddish feathers on the hackle and wings. The pullets varied little, 

 two being just like the mother, and the rest of the same type, but darker, somewhat like darkish 

 grey Dorkings. One cockerel was just like the father, and a fourth /'raw«-breasted. On the whole, 

 and considering the want of what English fanciers consider careful breeding in nearly all American 

 stock, we were surprised and gratified by the degree of uniformity thus apparent, and fully 

 convinced that the breed was genuine, or a really distinct race. 



Tastes differ, but we were much pleased with these fowls, and much regretted that utter want 

 of accommodation at that time prevented our keeping more than our old favourites, the Brahmas. 

 A neater and more pleasing style of bird could not possibly be ; and as layers we consider this 

 breed the best we have ever met with for moderate confinement. The Silver-spangled Hamburgh 

 may even surpass it on a wide range, as regards the number of eggs, but these are inferior in 

 size ; and the Brown Leghorn will thrive in a moderate-sized yard. The hen laid an egg nearly 

 as large as that of a Spanish fowl, and after moult recommenced early, before any of our Brahmas 

 had " begun to think about it." We shortly afterwards disposed of the whole to Mr. R. J. 

 Walker, of Edgworth, Bolton, who unfortunately lost the hen a month or two after, through her 

 swallowing a sharp-pointed piece of glass, but who gives the following account of the progeny 

 (dated May 2Sth, 1873) :— 



" As regards laying, I find that, taking the five pullets together, I have had an average of five 

 and a quarter eggs per bird per week. No. i began to lay on February 17th, No. 2 on February 

 19th, No. 3 on March 6th, No. 4 on March nth, and No. 5 on March 27th. No. 5 is not so 

 good as the others in number of eggs, but lays far larger ones. I find the eggs average about 

 eight to the pound from the pullets ; those I got from the old hen were larger. They do not 

 seem much influenced by change of weather in regard to laying, keeping on much as usual through 

 the bitter east winds we had. I have only nine chicks from the|a, three of which were hatched 

 March 26th (two of which were from eggs of the old hen) and six on May 6th. They are as 

 hardy as it is possible for chicks to be ; I have not lost one, and have had no trouble with them. 

 They feather very rapidly. Mine have always been under a coop open to the south, and have 

 had free range at all times. I may add that the three earlier ones were left by the hen when five 

 weeks old, but they did not seem any the worse for it." Since this letter we have heard from 

 the same gentleman that one of the pullets has attempted to sit. 



If it be remembered that the birds here spoken of were hatched on August ist, it will 

 be seen that they laid unusually early. They would also be smaller than usual, for the same 

 reason ; and, on the whole, no more favourable account could be given of any fowls. We can 

 only add that we killed one of the cockerels in order to test the quality of the flesh, which 

 proved very good, being much more juicy than that of the White Leghorn. How far the breed 

 may be admired by fanciers we cannot tell, the death' of one hen preventing any attempt to 

 exhibit ; but our decided opinion is that in intrinsic value the Brown Leghorn is the best of 

 all the American breeds, especially if size as well as number of eggs be taken into consideration. 

 The constitution is hardy ; the shape and carriage sprightly ; the colour neat, handsome, and at 



