BRAHMAS 



47 



Cochins and the Langshans. The Brahmas are conceded to be 

 the most popular, and are divided into two varieties, Light Brah- 

 mas and Dark Brahmas, of which the former are the most widely 

 bred. 



The Light Brahma is the largest chicken. See Fig. 26. The 

 standard weight calls for 12 pounds for cocks, 10 pounds for 

 cockerels, 9^ pounds for hens, and 8 pounds for pullets. These 

 weights are often exceeded ; I have seen specimens that weighed 

 from twelve to seventeen pounds, regular giants, they seemed. 



Fig. 26. — Light Brahmas. 



History. — It would take a large volume to hold the history of 

 the Light Brahma. It was probably the first breed of poultry to 

 be popularized in this country, where it was greatly improved by 

 American fanciers. Though fundamentally an Asiatic, it is really 

 an American output. They were first known as Brahma Pootras, 

 Gray Shanghais, Chittagongs and. Cochin Chinas. In fact, the 

 early breeders were disposed to give them high-sounding, fanciful 

 names, for the sake of the benefit these names might have in 



