ORIGIN OF THE CAIVIE^ 



^J^izJ 



The origin of the Game Fowl is a point that would involve ann im- 

 mense amount of labor and considerable time without leading us to 

 any practical conclusion. It has proved a most perplexing question 

 notwithstanding naturalists, historians, and game fanciers have written 

 much concerning it, and still no one theory has been accepted by all 

 as correct in every particular. We find almost every known part of 

 the globe has been honored with their origin. Many refer to India 

 as the original country, and possibly aver from thence they were car- 

 ried over the world. Others to the contrary, forcibly assert that 

 England, or the Isle of Rhodes, or some other place were their orig- 

 nal countries. In this way, perhaps, we could go on and give article 

 upon article yet be no nearer their origin than we were at 'first, and 

 we do not intend to furnish many new ideas upon this subject as it 

 would only be filling our work up with what many care so little about. 



In closing we simply say, by permission we have been allowed to 

 publish extracts from a short letter written us some time since upon 

 this subject, and we have no hesitation in saying the writer has written 

 more concerning Game Fowls than any other person living, having 

 traveled in all parts of the globe and seen every variety he speaks of 

 in their natural state. We cannot do otherwise than take his ideas for 

 granted, knowing full well that he is conversant with what he is writ- 

 ing about : "As for all Game fowls coming from India, it is nonsense ; 

 but one yellow and willow-legged sort come from that country. The 

 white, brown, black carp and blue-legged are the old British sorts, 

 but as the whole of their ancestors of both Britons and Saxons came 

 from Persia in Asia originally, it is probable that all our white-skinned 

 game fowls are of Persian origin, and that all the yellow-skinned sorts 



