34 POULTRY BREEDING 
istics. They are all non-sitters, being disinclined to sit, 
although an occasional hen will show signs of broodiness, 
and once in a while one will sit from two or three days 
to the full period required for incubation; but such hens 
are usually the old ones, which are nearing the end o} 
their productiveness. All the breeds in this class are 
neatly built and of medium size, and all are very prolific 
layers of pure white eggs. They have large single combs 
in their original state, but American breeders have bred 
some of the breeds to produce sub-varieties with rose 
combs. In every case we believe the rose combs have 
been produced by crossing with the Hamburgs. 
Brown Leghorns.—All that is positively known about 
the origin of the Brown Leghorn is that it was brought 
to this country from some Italian port early in the last 
century. As now bred this variety is not known in Italy. 
Some authorities claim that the first Italian fowls were 
introduced about 1235. Others set a later date. A. H. Hal- 
stead, an old-time poultry breeder, told the writer that he 
bought some red fowls from a ship captain in 1847, which 
the captain had bought in an Italian port, and bred these 
fowls for several years. They had red breasts, but in 
other particulars were like our Leghorns of today. I. Kk 
Felch says the white ear lobes of today were secured by 
crossing with the Spanish fowl and the black breast and 
deep red color of the cock were secured by crossing with 
the Black-Breasted Red game cock. Mr. Halstead con. 
firmed this by saying he got disgusted when fanciers he- 
gan to cross with games and gave up the breed. The writer 
began to breed this variety in 1882, and at that time there 
was much trouble with red in the ear lobes, and it was 
not uncommon for the females to come with the willow 
colored legs of the game fowl. 
