ASIATIC BREEDS. 135 
are more active, hardy, and vigorous. A cockerel of 
this breed, seven months old, will weigh, if fattened, ten 
to twelve pounds; and a pullet of the same age, eight to 
nine pounds; the flesh is well-flavored and tender, and 
thickly laid upon the breast, the skin is clear white and 
transparent, and the bone very light and fine. The 
legs are of a bright slate color, and pink between the 
toes, and the plumage black with a vivid beetle-green 
reflection. These birds were first introduced into Eng- 
land in 1872 by an officer of the British army, Major 
Croad, of Sussex, who received them directly from a 
relative living in the northern part of China. Since 
then a second importation has been received in England, 
and Mr. Gedney states that the breed has been used to 
improve the Black Cochins. Since the opening of the 
Suez Canal, by which the voyage from China has been 
much shortened, the importation of fowls from that dis- 
tant part of the world has been rendered much easier. 
Mr. Gedney sums up the merits of these fowls as fol- 
lows: Extreme hardiness, rapid growth, great size com- 
bined with small bone, exquisitely white skin and flesh 
of the same purity of color, full breast, delicacy of flavor, 
and possessing none of that dryness so common to most 
of the large breeds. As prolific winter layers of large 
‘rich eggs, the Langshan hens will hold their own against 
all comers, whilst they lack that intense desire to sit 
which is so essentially a characteristic of the Cochin. In 
short, he considers that they ‘are the finest and most 
practically useful birds ever-brought to England.” 
‘The Langshans were admitted to the American Stand- 
ard of Excellence by the American Poultry Association 
at the meeting held at Worcester, Mass., 1883. 
