November 29, 1864. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



443 



proof I admit, but that is not the point. Their not breed- 

 ing true to colour would have been direct evidence against 

 them. Stability in this respect negatives an adverse tes- 

 timony. 



As to the American story, I confess that I lay little stress, 

 if any, upon it, or any other Yankee story, if against usual 

 experience. It is not remarkable for clearness in itself. I 

 do «iot intend to take up the question of origin of species. 

 That I leave to Heaven and Mr. Darwin. But if Brahmas 

 were really in the beginning a cross between a Cochin and 

 a Chittagong, then a Chittagong and a Cochin have origi- 

 nated a breed and that is all. I never saw a Chittagong, 

 but it is said by the books to be a cross between Malay and 

 Dorking. In that case, a cross again with a Cochin, retain- 

 ing permanently its peculiar type, would be an anomaly 

 indeed. However, let me suggest an e&pervmentum cruris. 

 Let some enterprising spirit cross a Malay and a Dorking 

 and obtain a Chittagong. Cross this Chittagong with a 

 Cochin, and if the produce has all the characteristics of a 

 Brahma, cadet qncestio. There is an end of the matter. 



But, sir, if constancy in the peculiar habits, disposition, 

 and properties of a bird are no evidence of breed, I am at a 

 loss to know what is. Varieties of Cochins differ in colour, 

 but in these respects they are all alike. So with Dorkings. 

 So with Hamburghs and other varieties of the same breed. 

 And in these respects there is as wide a difference between 

 a Cochin and a Brahma, as between any two distinct breeds 

 whatever. Their mode of laying is quite different. The 

 Cochin lays a few eggs and then sits. She leaves her young 

 often prematurely to lay and sit again. The Brahma lays a 

 great many eggs — a hundred or more — before she sits, and 

 usually sits but once and rears her brood carefully. The eggs 

 are rather different in shape. They are a little rougher in the 

 shell so as to be discerned by the feel, such, at least, is my 

 experience. Their chickens are easier to rear. They put on 

 flesh more readily. They, perhaps, range something wider. 

 The crow of the cock is very different, nearer the note of 

 chanticleer than that dying bray of the donkey, which is by 

 no means suggestive of nightingales. It may, perhaps, be 

 alleged that he gets this mote from the Dorking quartering 

 in the Chittagong side of his shield. He is by no means so 

 cowardly a. bird, and will stand boldly up to a Game cock 

 and punish him, as I know to my cost. If all these peculiar 

 characteristics with an aspect and colour constant and suffi- 

 ciently distinct are marks only of a Cochin merely varying 

 in feather, it is certainly the most remarkable variety known 

 to the poultry world. 



In point of fact, it is these very characteristics that stamp 

 their value on any breed. It is for their peculiar excellence 

 in these qualities, not for their feathers, that different breeds 

 are approved and carefully kept pure. If it was not for their 

 pre-eminence as layers, neither comb, nor hackle, nor spangle, 

 nor pencil, could keep the Hamburghs from oblivion. To dis- 

 regard such important distinctions seems impossible. It is 

 not because it is a variety of Cochin that the Brahma is 

 kept up and highly prized, but because it possesses peculiar 

 and valuable properties of its own to which the Cochin has 

 no pretensions whatever. — -Impltjmis. 



[Admitting all the merits that our animated correspondent 

 claims for Brahma Pootras, yet those merits are no more 

 than characterise a variety. The same may be said of the 

 Coloured Dorking as compared to the White Dorking and 

 others. All the essential characteristics of form and plumage 

 are the same in the Cochin-China and the Brahma Pootra. 

 We have no expectation that the cross-breeding suggested 

 would do more than demonstrate that . the Brahma is a 

 variety of the Cochin-China, but we fear that even that 

 would not alter the opinion of our correspondent. He 

 ignores direct evidence as a mere Yankee story, and it has 

 been recorded as a result of experience, that 



" A man convinced against bis will 

 Is of the same opinion still.''] 



GLASGOW PIGEON AND CANARY SHOW. 



Havins been from home I did not receive my usual copy 

 of your Journal until to-day, and on looking over the report 

 of the Sunderland Show I was somewhat surprised to find 

 stated therein that the " Glasgow Show was given up."' I 



have merely to refer you to the advertising columns of your . 

 own Journal of the same date (8th inst.), to show the incon- 

 sistency of this. I believe inadvertent, statement. There 

 has been a slight change this year in the management, but 

 that is no reason why such a statement should have crept 

 into your report. 



As the originator of the Glasgow Show and present Secre- 

 tary, I certainly feel happy to think that it should have 

 been considered a model Show, and I trust that it will 

 always continue such. I enclose you a prize list which is 

 more intended to produce honourable competition than pecu- 

 niary gain. — James Ruthven, Secretary. 



[The gentleman who sent us a report of the Sunderland 

 Show we are quite sure only repeated what he was told, and 

 he will rejoice, as we do, that he was misinformed. 



The Glasgow Show is to be held on the 23rd and 24th of 

 December. The prizes are liberal in money, in addition to 

 medals and other rewards ; and as every variety and sub- 

 variety has a separate class, the Show especially deserves 

 the support of Pigeon and Canary fanciers.] 



THE OSIGIN OF BEAHMAS. 



Many years ago, when Brahmas were not the " household 

 birds " they have now become, I seized my pen and, like 

 many others, rushed into print in defence of my pets. I 

 well recollect there was a long wordy war, but it reminded 

 me somewhat of the tale told of a gentleman rather noted 

 for his longwinded descriptions always given in a somewhat 

 legal manner. This person on one occasion, meeting a 

 friend evidently in a great hurry, nevertheless secured him 

 as a listener, commenced his minute description, and after 

 detaining his impatient friend on tenter hooks for a con- 

 siderable time, he wound up with this appeal — -"Now, do 

 not you think that perfectly conclusive?" "Oh, not the 

 shadow of a doubt about it," said his impatient friend, glad 

 of the respite ; " I wish you good morning." " Hold," says 

 the other, " wait one minute ; there is as much to be said 

 on the other side of the question." His friend, however, 

 bolted, saying he was perfectly convinced. 



Brahma origin is like this, there is a vast deal to be said 

 for and against according to our bias ; but, perhaps, it only 

 wastes the time of impatient friends, so I say honestly at 

 once, although I have headed this communication as I have 

 done, that I do not intend at present to enter into the dis- 

 cussion, I plead guilty to having felt awfully pugnacious on 

 this topic once or twice lately — first with Mr. B. P. Brent, 

 when I vented my spleen on paper for " our Journal," but 

 saved the readers the infliction. Quite recently, dear Messrs. 

 Editors, with yourselves, when you gave my pets that quiet 

 dig in the ribs, and gave it as your opinion that the bar 

 sinister belonged to them. If I had not a wondrous kindly 

 feeling for " our Editors " a3 well as " our Journal " I might , 

 have called you out, and, being but a small man myself, 

 would not have objected to my size being chalked out on 

 your body — " all shots outside the line not to count ! " 



The question of altering names has been mooted on several 

 occasions of late, and you gave us a pretty list lately for our 

 pets, but I am content with " Brahma." It is as euphonious 

 as Dorking or any other name, so it appears to me, and, 

 therefore, I shall not adopt " Bahama Padua," or any other 

 of the craekjaw names, even although " a rose by any other 

 name might smell as sweet." Still, in these notes, I was 

 much tickled with one thing, and I must say that, according 

 to those notes, we Brahma breeders are remarkably clever 

 fellows. You said the first ever shown had " unmistakeable 

 topknots," I quote from memory. Well, where are these 

 topknots gone ? Why do not Game-fanciers come to us for 

 the secret ? then there would be no occasion to trim their 

 birds! What wonderful deplumatory have we used, and 

 why is it not advertised ? 



Joking apart, dear Messrs. Editors, although, on second 

 thoughts, I shall not call you out, as even a hit outside the 

 chalk line might injure "our Journal," I nevertheless shall 

 send you a challenge. It is this — state what you consider 

 the marks of a pure breed, then, perhaps, some of us may 

 have a word or two more to say in defence ; and come what 

 may, if you prove us the most wretched mongrels that ever 

 existed, I shall reply, "Handsome is that handsome does," 



