FANCIERS' JOURNAL 



481 



F363 



BIRD 



AND 



POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



Vol. I. 



PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 9, 1874. 



No. 15. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



HYBRIDS OR MULES. 



BY JAMBS S. BAILEY, M.D. 



The subject of mule or hybrid breeding is one of great in- 

 terest to the fancy. Authentic accounts have been obtained 

 of some, while we have reports of others without authen- 

 ticity. 



At several poultry exhibitions the writer has noticed a 

 hybrid said to have originated by crossing a Turkey hen 

 with a Guinea cock. It has 

 been illustrated in an agri- 

 cultural paper, but the like- 

 ness was so unlike the orig- 

 inal bird that, placed side 

 by side, it would not have 

 been recognized. 



An identical bird, though 

 of different sex, came into 

 thewriter'spossession about 

 two years ago, and with 

 much difficulty the former 

 owner and breeder was 

 found, and through him 

 and his family a correct 

 history of the origin of the 

 hybrid was obtained. The 

 accompanying illustration 

 was drawn from it by the 

 distinguished artist, T. 

 Kirby Vanzandt, of Al- 

 bany, N. Y. In the sketch 

 he has succeeded in catch- 

 ing the spirit and attitude 

 of this curious bird. It 

 was presented to the Commissioners of Central Park, New 

 York City, and if still living can be seen there. 



Mr. Matthew Flausburgh, of Stony Hill, Albany County, 

 N. Y., in 1865, obtained some Guinea eggs from a neighbor, 

 but not having enough for a sitting, placed with them some 

 eggs from the barn-door fowl ; in due time they hatched 

 and were reared together. The next year two of this brood 

 — a Dominique cock and a Guinea hen — mated. The fact 

 having been noticed by the family, the ovules from their 

 amours were preserved carefully and set with a few turkey 

 eggs. It is a known fact that hen eggs hatch in three weeks 

 and guinea and turkey eggs in four weeks. This fecunda- 

 tion so influenced the Guinea eggs that they hatched in three 

 and a half weeks, while the turkey eggs hatched in the time 

 which is usually required for them. The chicks from the 

 Guinea eggs presented a snuff-color, instead of the striped 

 appearance of the true Guinea young. Only three eggs of 

 this fecundation proved fertile, two only living a few days, 

 while one matured, as seen in the engraving. 



Tegetmeier refers to this hybrid, and says that " they are 

 true hybrids, being perfectly sterile and incapable of repro- 

 duction among themselves or with either of the species from 

 which they were derived." Its plumage is mottled and 

 sprinkled confusedly with brown, drab, and white, freckled 

 with black, the white predominating, causing it to appear 

 gray at a distance. It weighed six pounds, and stood thir- 

 teen inches high. 



The cusque of the Guinea fowl was absent, but it had 

 small wattles and a loose 

 pendant fold of skin under 

 its gullet, which was thinly 

 covered with feathers. Its 

 voice resembled theGuinea, 

 and it was exceedingly shy 

 and timid. It had no af- 

 finity for domestic fowls, 

 but preferred the society of 

 turkeys, having been reared 

 with them. As the hybrid 

 advanced in age the color of 

 its plumage grew lighter. 



This bird was more mi- 

 nutely described in the 

 Country Gentleman 'some 

 two years ago. 



The Golden Pheasant 

 sometimes crosses with the 

 common domestic fowl. Its 

 progeny is also a true mule, 

 and like the hybrid just de- 

 scribed, cannot be further 

 crossed. 



In order to favor this 

 production, the Pheasant must have been bred among do- 

 mestic fowls. The male Pheasant occasionally pairs with 

 a favorite hen, providing he has none of his own species to 

 mate with. It is usual for only a small proportion of eggs 

 thus fecundated to prove fertile. The introduction of a 

 Pheasant hen will immediately alienate the attentions of the 

 cock Pheasant from his newly made mate. 



A friend, who had succeeded in rearing this cross, once 

 stated that the cock Pheasant was exceedingly capricious, 

 and would sometimes destroy several hens by picking them 

 to pieces upon the rump before selecting one to his entire 

 notion. Mr. Hewitt, who has given this subject considera- 

 ble attention, describes the cross of the Golden Pheasant 

 cock with five varieties of fowls, viz. : Spanish, Game, Buff 

 Bantams, Golden and Silver Spangled Hamburgs. 



All of these hybrids were described as being exceedingly 

 wild, with heads devoid of combs, wattles, or deaf-ear, with 

 tails approaching the conformation of the Pheasant, but not 

 so lengthy.-""" — '■*" 



[ JAM 2 4 20C1 ) 



