174 THE AMERICAN BREEDS OF POULTRY 



were christened Wyandottes, which we think absurd and nonsense, as 

 it means nothing and will cause confusion, but it is done and so we 

 will all say 'let it go.' " 



In a later issue of American Poultry Journal (December, 1883) 

 Joseph Wallace wrote: 



Then I with those will take common lot, 



Who try to swallow Wyandotte. 



Eureka! pride of the black laced tribe, farewell, 



You have gone beyond the great river. 



Many braves will curse the spirit of Wyandotte, 



As they did when they struck the lodge at Worcester. 



They will ask, "Where is our Hambletonian now?" 



He is gone to the h'unting grounds beyond the great river,. 



Where the warriors of the Oneidas and Wyandottes meet. 



They will smoke the pipe of peace l:)eyond the broad river. 



Time has proved, however, that "Wyandotte" has been a most 

 appropriate name and no one would today have it changed. An 

 attempt was made to change the spelling to "Wyandot" at Indian- 

 apolis, 1888, but the motion was promptly defeated. 



Early origin. It seems strange that the oldest breeders of Wyan- 

 dottes were unable to trace with certainty the early origin of the 

 fowl. L. Whittaker found his first Wyandottes at Honeoye, New 

 York, in 1872, and the birds were then known as Sebright Cochins. 

 He made a diligent search for records bearing on their origin during 

 the following three years "and each inquiry brought only a different 

 theory, and on following up these theories I would find them to be 

 mere guesses." 



On this ciuestion of origin, D. W. Hooker, another old-time 

 breeder, wrote; 



I think no man living knows when or how Wyandottes originated. Wlien Kidder 

 of Northampton and myself were breeding them, then known as Sebright Cochins, 

 I wrote wherever I could hear of them, in order to trace them back, but the lines 

 diverged instead of converging, and I at last gave it up as hopeless. 



In 1877, Mr. Kidder, who is above referred to, wanted the birds 

 recognized as Eurekas, and bred with pea combs and feathered legs. 

 At the same time, Whittaker was presenting the birds to the Ameri- 

 can Poultry Association as American Sebrights. Others were 

 lireeding them as Sebright Cochins. The American Poultry Asso- 

 ciation, at its meeting in Buffalo in 1877, failed to agree on a name. 

 A committee was appointed to settle on a name and a type for the 

 breed, but the committee failed to report during the convention, and 

 the matter had to go over. The breeders now saw the necessity of 

 coming together and agreeing on a type. They were spurred to new 

 efforts. 



Theories of origin. Inasmuch as the early breeders were unable 

 to trace out the exact origin of this breed, all writers of Wyandotte 



