8FANGLED FOLAItDS. 



FOLANDS : COCHIN CHDfAS. 



possessing a perfectly white tuft on the head. Its great value 

 lies in the number of eggs produced, indeed in many parts 

 they are as weU known as " everlasting layers" As by their 

 proper name. However, the experienced breeder would take 

 good care to send the eggs 

 of his everlasting layers to 

 market, and not use them 

 for home consumption, as, 

 although they may be as 

 large as those laid by other 

 hens, the amount of nutri- 

 ment contained in them is 

 not nearly so great. Mr. 

 Mowbray once kept an ac- 

 count of the number of eggs 

 produced by this prolific burd, 

 with the following result : — 



From the 25th of October to the 25th of the following September 

 five hens laid 503 eggs ; the average weight of each egg was one 

 ounce five drachms, and the total weight of the whole, exclusive 

 of the shells, 50^ po\mds. Taking the weight of the birds at 

 the fair average of five pounds each, we thus see them pro- 

 ducing within a year double their weight of egg alone; and, 

 supposing every egg to contain a chick, and allowing the chick 

 to grow, in less than eighteen months firom the laying of the 

 first egg, two thousand fioe hwndred poimds of chicken-meat 

 would be the result. The Poland is easily fattened, and its 

 flesh is generally considered juicier and of richer flavour than 

 most others. 



As regards the Cochin China Fowl, there is little 

 doubt that it has several very 

 good qualities, and, in fact, 

 is a usefol and important 

 member of the poultry-yard. 

 The same fowl — ^the same 

 in every respect — ^that ob- 

 tained so large a share of 

 popular favour on its arrival 

 in this country in 1846, is 

 at the present day the sub- 

 ject of more ignorant ridi- 

 cule than ever poor bird 

 had to bear; and why? simply because the creature was 



COOHUI-CHINAS. 



