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FANCIER S’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
I 
many poulterers declare that their fowls are ‘Cochin 
Chinas’ or ‘Shanghais,’ as they please, in many instances 
I find that a decision on this point depends entirely upon 
which particular kind you want to buy.’’ (See Dr. Bennett’s 
“ Poultry Book,” published in 1850, page 34.) 
(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
ORIGIN OF THE BRAHMA FOWL. 
J. M. Wade, Esq. : 
The late controversy in your columns, in which Mr. G. 
P. Burnham, of Melrose, lias assumed so actively and so 
vigorously the defensive, vs. Mr. Lewis Wright’s theory of 
“ the origin of the Brahma fowl,” in his two last poultry 
books, has interested us in Hartford, Conn., the place claimed 
by Mr. Wright where the now universally called “ Brah- 
mas ” had their birth in this country. 
The sailor’s story, as related by Mr. Cornish, regarding 
his stock (first given to the public in liis well known letters 
of March, 1852), quoted by Wright in both these books, and 
enlarged upon in Mr. Cornish’s later letter of November, 
1869, is, of course, familiar to us in this ilk. 1 am not per- 
sonally acquainted with Mr. Burnham, never having met 
him; nor do I know Mr. Wright, of England, except 
through his writings on poultry. But, I have read all of 
Mr. Burnham’s works on this subject, and especially his 
later contributions to the American poultry press ; and I 
am convinced from the recent overwhelming evidence he 
has brought forward to prove his original position as to the 
light-gray fowls he imported in 1849 and 1850, from China, 
through well known parties in Philadelphia and New 
York ; and by the unexampled success he met with from 
that period down to 1861, and afterwards, that he has estab- 
lished two strong points in his favor, to wit : He has shown 
very clearly that no ship “arrived at New York from 
Luckipoor, in India,” either in 1846 or in 1849, as is claimed ; 
and that his Gray Chittagongs, or “ Gray Shanghais,” as he 
called his fowls, were the first of these birds (since called 
Brahmas everywhere) that ever were bred and publicly 
shown in the United States, and afterwards in England. 
In view of these two facts, now settled as to priority of 
dates, already to be found on the past record, it does strike 
mo very forcibly, that Mr. Wright has seriously erred in his 
theory about the origin of the now so-called “ Brahmas and 
he has plainly made a gross mistake in his attempts to argue 
Mr. Burnham out of the deserved credit of originating this 
stock in America, and of being the first to introduce it into 
Great Britain, of both light and dark varieties. 
This opinion of mine is based upon a careful reading of 
the later testimony,' presented at such length by both Mr. 
Burnham and Mr. Wright, as well as Mr. Tegetmeier of 
London ; and I do not see how any one can get away from 
this conclusion, who will now examine both sides -in this 
controversy as it stands at present. 
Thus convinced, I am free to say, in view of the further 
fact, that in neither of Mr. Cornish’s two letters is Mr. 
Burnham or his fowls spoken of at all by Cornish ; that 
Wright went a long stretch out of his way to implicate Mr. 
Burnham in the “ Brahma-Pootra controversy,” with which, 
from first to last, I do not find in Burnham’s writings, at 
the period when Mr. Wright pretends to quote him, that 
Mr. Burnham was in any way concerned. This certainly 
is unfair towards Burnham, who, as he avers, never spoke of 
his stock, or the man engaged in putting it before the poul- 
try world, except to burlesque the name, and the managers 
of it, or they of him. 
As to Burnham’s humorous “Hen Fever History,” I 
agree with him (as he himself admits in a late number of 
Fanciers’ Journal ), that it had been quite as well if this 
•laughable but sharp-written work had never been issued ; 
but that contains simply a record of the humbugging and 
tricks of the trade current when he wrote it, arid cared only 
to offend the sharpers and hucksters he therein caricatured 
so amusingly. He did handle some of this class “ without 
gloves;” but honest dealing men in the chicken trade could 
surely not apply this lively criticism to themselves, in whole 
or in part, that I could ever discover. 
I would do Mr. Burnham justice only, and I must say 
that he has recently completely vindicated himself against 
the wholesale attack of Mr. Wright, who evidently is not, 
as “ F. R. W.” has it, “ the best living authority upon this 
Brahma question,” however good he may have been on 
other poultry matters ; and as to the sailor’s tale about the 
importation of Cornish’s stock “ from Luckipoor, in India,” 
Mr. Burnham effectually disposes of that — since no record 
of this ship’s arrival in New York is to be found; which it 
could now be readily, upon the old United States Custom’s 
Register, had it occurred either in 1846 or in 1849. The result 
of all is undoubtedly, that all these “ large light-gray fowls ” 
come from one parentage, and there is no question in my 
mind to day, that Mr. Burnham had the first old birds in 
the United States, to wit: Those he imported in 1849 and 
1850, from Shanghai, and that this splendid stock (now 
improved by long domestication among us), was originally 
of Chinese, and not of India origin, as Mr. Tegetemeier so 
clearly states. Respectfully yours, 
Hartford, Conn., June 6t.h, 1874. S. J. Bestor. 
(For Fanciers' Journal.) 
BLACK JAVAS AND PHEASANT CHICKENS. 
Mr. Editor : 
I have bred for two years a chicken which I obtained for 
“ Black Java.” As 1 have never read a description of this 
breed, I will attempt to describe it, with a hope that some 
one will give it the proper name, if the one which I ob- 
tained is incorrect. It is unfortunate that our “Standards 
of Excellence ” do not describe all excellent breeds ; nor do 
the poultry journals describe and picture all the thorough- 
bred varieties of fowl. 
The one 1 am about to describe is a thoroughbred 
chicken, as it reproduces itself with perfect exactness in 
every particular. It is a black fowl, with purplish azure 
reflections, and the cock is a glossy velvety black ; plump 
and square ; legs black, and a little under medium in the 
hens, cock’s a medium length ; well spread tails ; back 
broad, and body deep ; mandible dark horn-color, and head 
dark crimson, with very black eyes ; comb single and deeply 
serrated, standing erect in both sexes, with well propor- 
tioned wattles ; face clear of feathers. Disposition very 
quiet. Sitters, and good mothers, although not very broody. 
Eggs medium size and white, but not so pure a white as 
the Spanish or Ilamburgs. Chicks of a bluish black, with 
whitish down about the breast and underparts, but all ex- 
actly alike; sprightly, and grow well with ordinary atten- 
tion ; feather soon ; and when six months old the pullets are 
unsurpassed in beauty, and are very attractive. The old 
cock which was brought to this neighborhood had spurs 
