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CHAPTER XXXI. 



WILD BREEDS OF rOULTRY— ORIGIN OF THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 



We have already on several occasions incidentally stated our opinion that more facts need to be 

 ascertained before the question as to the origin of the Domestic Fowl can be satisfactorily settled. 

 It is well-known, however, that most modern naturalists, among whom Mr. Danvin deserves special 

 mention, believe that one existing wild variety, known as the Gallus Bmikiva, or Galliis fcrrugmeus, 

 is the sole progenitor ; and as we formerly accepted this view ourselves on what we supposed to be 

 the sufficient authority of such names, but have been gradually led to look upon it with the greatest 

 distrust by facts which have since fallen under our own observation, or been communicated to us 

 by others in the course of an extensive correspondence upon poultry matters, it may be expected 

 that we should not altogether pass by the subject. We shall, therefore, after describing the four 

 wild varieties at present known, state briefly the chief reasons why we feel unable to adopt the 

 ordinary view, and how we are at least inclined to regard the matter from all the facts as yet 

 known. To do more than this in the present state of knowledge would be to repeat the very 

 fault which we think has been committed by others — of dogmatising upon insufficient information : 

 it will, therefore, be understood that we only profess to treat the question as it shapes itself for the 

 present in our own mind. 



The varieties of wild Jungle Fowl now known to naturalists we have already stated to be 

 four in number ; and these we will first describe, adding such information concerning them as we 

 have been able to obtain. 



GALLUS BANKIVA, or Gallus fcrrugincus. — This is the most widely-distributed of all the 

 wild breeds of India, ranging all over Continental India, till in the eastward it meets with 

 Sonnerat's Fowl, and southward through the principal islands. In Malay it is called Ayam ntan, 

 the word "ayam," as we have already seen, signifying fowl. It is generally described as resembling 

 the Black-breasted Red Game, but smaller, and with a more drooping tail ; in fact, as being midway 

 between Game and Game Bantams in size, but resembling the variety named in colour, with dark 

 legs having a slight green tinge ; but later and more accurate observers have detected very evident 

 differences in colour, and even size, between the birds found in various parts. Mr. Trevor Dickens, 

 who spent many years in India as an officer in the army, and during that time paid special 

 attention to both the wild and game native breeds, states that besides the small variety with 

 horn-coloured or greenish legs, " there is another and rather larger sort of the Gallus fa-rugineus, 

 which has often been mistaken for the Gallus Sonneratii ; this species has yellow legs, and may 

 be styled the Gallus fcrrugiucus major ; while the less and commoner breed may be styled Gallus 

 ferrugineiis luiuor." He also states that in different parts they vary much in colour, some 

 resembling Black-reds, some Brown-reds or Ginger-reds, and others more of a yellowish brown. 

 Sir William Jardine corroborates this statement ; and so does Mr. BIyth, who, as Curator of the 

 Asiatic Society's Museum at Calcutta, had unusual facilities for observation. He states that 

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