A GUIDE FOR KEEPERS OF POULTRY 271 
jungle fowls of the wooded sections of India or the 
islands adjacent thereto. 
These speculations do not lead to anything. We know 
that the wild jungle fowl of today (G. Bankiva), re- 
sembles the Black-Breasted Red game fowl of our poul- 
tryyards in color and shape and in the crow of the cock 
and the cackling of the hen. We know also that these 
wild fowls will cross with tame ones and produce fertile 
progeny, and that Asiatic fowls and other breeds inter- 
mix without the least difficulty. To be sure several races 
of wild pheasant interbreed to such an extent that pure- 
bred birds are now hard to find, but the fact remains that 
the authentic history of the domestic fowl, so far as it 
has been possible to trace it, takes us back to India, the 
Sanskrit language and the “institues” or “codes” of 
Manu, 1,000 years before the beginning of our era. 
From that time we have a tolerably connected history 
and a logical theory as to their introduction into the 
western world, as represented by the European countries. 
So long as man ran wild, was a nomad traveling to and 
fro, he sought food and raiment among the wild things 
that grew or bred in the countries through which he 
passed or in the territory about which he wandered. 
Later life became more complicated. Communal life had 
its origin and tribes became fixed in villages or confined 
to certain restricted territory. It now became necessary 
to till the soil and secure domestic animals in order that 
the food supply might be constant and dependable. It is 
doubtful whether this motive impelled the ancient tribes- 
man to tame the wild fowl of the woods and mountains. 
He was fond of war and so was the jungle fowl. With 
less frequent forays to soothe his turbulent spirit he cap- 
tared and subdued the wild cock of the jungle and made 
