66 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



of Spanish ancestry, though our knowledge of its 

 source is meager. It, however, was introduced 

 into England from the United States. Most Ham- 

 burgs, despite their German name, are English. 

 The brahma is the result of a cross between the co- 

 chin and the gray chittagong, the first cochin hav- 

 ing been imported from Shanghai. Notwithstand- 

 ing the general utility of all these foreign breeds, 

 the United States owes nine tenths of her egg pro- 

 duction to native stock, with the addition of the 

 Leghorn. 



Speaking from the point of view of economics, 

 the utility fowl has always been the most impor- 

 tant factor in poultry culture. It was, however, 

 only a few decades ago that scientific treatment 

 of the utility bird was undertaken. Until the 

 nineteenth century was well along there were no 

 great poultry farms or production of eggs and 

 fowl on a big scale. Market produce came from 

 the small farmers; poultry and eggs which 

 reached the cities were those left over from the 

 requirements of the farm. 



But in those former days, while there was little 

 attempt to establish utility flocks of great size, 

 a wide-spread craze was prevalent for creating 

 new and fanciful looking breeds — something that 

 would please the eye if not the stomach. Oddly 

 caparisoned fowl were sought for, birds with 

 crests which burst from the top of the head like 



