246 UTILITARIAN ZOOLOGY 
BIRD (AvEs) AS DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 
Tue Fowrt (GaLLus pDomesticus).— The very numerous 
breeds of domesticated fowls, some of which differ greatly from 
one another in appearance, are generally held to be all descen- 
dants of the Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus bankiva or ferrugineus), 
which at the present time ranges from North India through 
South-east Asia and part of the East Indies to the Philippines. 
Among the domesticated races Game-Fowls most nearly resemble 
the original type (fig. 1179). 
Fowls are valuable not only because they and their eggs 
are important articles of diet, but also on account of their 
feathers, which are put to various uses. Poultry-farming is 
now rightly regarded as one of those minor agricultural indus- 
tries upon which the prosperity of the small farmer and the 
peasant largely depends. A good instance is afforded by the 
Irish egg-industry. Not many years ago the product was 
notorious in England on account of the uncertain age of the 
eggs which were put upon the market; these being only in 
great demand for election purposes. And the industry, such as 
it was, benefited the Irish farmer but little, being exploited by 
persons having no stake in the development of the agriculture 
of the country. But now, thanks to the co-operative policy of 
Sir Horace Plunkett, which has been in every way of enormous 
benefit to Ireland, the Irish eggs, sorted, cleansed, and properly 
packed, can be sold in the London market within three days 
after being laid; and the very considerable profits directly benefit 
the farmers and peasantry. A similar story regarding Irish 
butter might have been told when the importance of horned 
stock was emphasized in an earlier paragraph. 
Fowls do not appear to have formed part of the live stock 
of the prehistoric races of Europe, but that they have been 
tamed for a long period of time will be gathered from the 
following quotation (Newton—A Dictionary of Birds) :— Several 
circumstances seem to render it likely that Fowls were first do- 
mesticated in Burma or the countries adjacent thereto, and it 
is the tradition of the Chinese that they received their poultry 
from the West about the year 1400 B.c. By the Institutes of 
Manu, the date of which is variously assigned from 1200 to 
800 8.c., the tame fowl is forbidden, though the wild is allowed 
