C5APTERIX. , 



The A'siatjc' Breeds. 



The Asiatic breeds of fowjp foUow ijwo distinct type% o,f,5PhJ,cli,tl*e dpcile, 

 shorWegged, loose-feathered Cochin represepits gne, and the erect,,raeroe, el,ose. 

 feathere4 Malay and Indian Game show, t)*S other. ,0f these types :the, Poo^^p - 

 has been most popular in England and ;America, and to it is due. a large part o^ 

 the improvement f^iefy has taken. place in.the poultry of these ,Qquajiieg. ^ur , 

 ing the past three decades. ,, ■!■-.. ; '■'■■• ^ 'j 



It would. seem„,froni the statements of , travelers in China, ijljat puj,. various 

 Chinese breeds are simply the common barn-yard fowls of that country, where 

 they are ,aUo»;ed to breed indiscriminately, all colors running together, ,apd that 

 the various names by which we know them here a^e simply those of .the port 

 from Tfhieh the importation was made, or supposed to be made^.of ,fwls in 

 which fk certain characteristic happened to predominate ; these chaKacteristios 

 being sujjsequently fixed by a skillful seleetipn. among western fancies.,, Tins 

 has certainly been the c£(se with many qf ■ these breeds, as it is ! well known- ftat 

 when first imported they came in mixe.d lots, and, that, it.requirfi^ years of c?.re- 

 f ul breeding in this country to fix the characteristics of the Brahmasaud of. the 

 various Cpchins. , , . . 



The general effect of the infusion of this easteri) bjood .into the fowls ot 

 Europe and America has been to increase their. siKe,'hardihqQd, :and docility.} a 

 gain which has been accompanied with a slight loss in quality of fleshand with 

 an increased disposition to sit ; these, however, are small offsets against the 

 great improvements produced. 



COCHINS, OE SHANGH^S. 



The conclusion in 1843 of the war between England and China, by which the 

 northern ports, including Shanghse, were thrown open to European vessels, be- 

 gan a new era in the poultry business of the West, by the infusion of the blood 

 of the large Chinese breeds of fowls into those of Europe and America. 



Among the first fowls imported from Cbina to England was a flock belonging 

 to the Queen, represented in the Illustrated London News of December 23 1843 and 

 called Cochin-Chinas. These fowls, however, were very different from those 

 known to-da^ as Cochins, being tall, slender and clean legged, and having more 

 of the Game shape than'of the Cochin. 



With regard to the appropriateness of the name of Cochin for this breed of 

 fowls, Mr. Tegetmeier says : "As in the case of many other varieties of fowls, 

 Cochins are known popularly by a name to which they have no claim. Mr! 

 Eobert Fortune, who has passed many years in various parts of China says :— 

 'The man who first gave these fowls the name of Cochin-Chinas has much to 

 answer for. I firmly believe that What are called 'Cochin-Chinas' and 'Shanghses' 



