18 



THE AMERICAN BREEDS OF POULTRY 



heavy. Their meat was rather coarse-grained in comparison with the 

 fine-grained flesh of the poultry of England and western Europe. 

 The Asiatics were, however, of more robust constitution. The 

 Malays were of rather pugnacious disposition, and the males some- 

 what troublesome. Both breeds laid eggs with strong shells, and 

 the chicks were well covered with down when hatched, but rather 

 slow to feather. The eggs were of brown color, for the breeds were 

 inclined to red ear-lobes, with which, strange as it may seem, brown- 

 shelled eggs are associated. 



Such was the foundation on which the modern superstructure has 

 been built by the genius of American breeders. They have produced 

 a group of breeds that are the embodiment of a new economic type 

 which has since been imitated by the breeders of England in their 

 Orpingtons and Sussex, by the breeders of France in their Faverolles, 

 by those of Belgium in the Malines, and those of Spain in the Prat. 

 There are certain features, such as color of skin, development of 

 head appendages, or feathering on the shanks, which readily distin- 

 guish the modern European breeds from the American, as might be 

 expected from breeders of dififerent nationalities working with a spe- 

 cies such as domestic poultry, which not only possesses many variable 

 features, but in which crosses between diverse types may be made 



with ease. However, the gen- 

 eral history of the origin of 

 the modern European and 

 American breeds, and the 

 place occupied by them in 

 their respective countries, are 

 parallel. 



The Plymouth Rocks, the 

 VVyandottes and the Rhode 

 Island Reds are well known 

 to be yellow skinned, to lay 

 brown-shelled eggs, and to 

 be sitters. Likewise, their 

 size and vigor have been in- 

 fluenced by the infusion of 

 Asiatic blood, and represent- 

 ative specimens of the Amer- 

 ican breeds will be found to 

 possess not only substantial 

 size and good substance, but 

 also a hardiness that adapts 

 them to the climate, food and 

 treatment of the nation. 



In number of eggs laid 

 and quality of flesh, these 

 breeds are an improvement 



A Well Fi.'slied White Rock Capon. 



