COCHINS, OR SHANQHJE8, 91 



ago he obtained a cockerel and three pullets of J;he Partridge Cochins from 

 a Pennsylvania dealer, his four chickens being the first remove from a trio im- 

 ported from England in 1869. His original quartette were very fine spefcimens ; 

 even in color; large sized, and well formed; but the cockerel and two of the 

 pullets showed pea-combs. He disposed of the third pullet, and in 1871 bred 

 the other three together. They proved wonderful layers, and he raised a hand- 

 some brood that season. These he culled (some of the cocks being out of shape, 

 to his eyeX and in 1872, from them, he raised two or three other broods, the ma- 

 jority of which were male birds. 



"This year (1873), again selecting the best specimens, which continued to come 

 with perfect pea-combs, he bred those he now has on hand, and a nicer flock of 

 thirty- to forty Partridge Cochins I never saw together." 



This variety has been recognized in the "American Standard of Excellence " 

 since 1876. 



The Buff Cochins were probably the earliest distinct offshoot from the hetero- 

 genous stock of the first importations. They are of several shades of color, 

 varying " from rich, deep buff to pale lemon ; all shades are admirable as exhi- 

 bition birds, but it is imperatively necessaiythatthey should match in the show- 

 pen. The \^iei7 termed Siher Buffs have a very pale, light silvery tint, almost 

 approaohing.to that of the breed known as Silver Cinnamons, but wanting the 

 weU-defined color of the hackle and tail of that variety. 



" The Oinnamum, Cochins, which are now always classed with the Buffs at the 

 poultry shows, are characterized by the rich, dark, reddish cinnamon color of 

 the hackle and' saddle feathers of the cock, the colors extending over the back 

 and wings. The tail should be a rich, bronzy black, the side feathers edged with 

 cinnamon, and the breaSt, thighs and fluff the color of wetted or dark cinna- 

 mon. In the hens the same wet-cinnamon color prevails throughout the entire 

 plumage. 



'■' The SU/oer Cinnamons, if weU marked, constitute an exceedingly beautiful 

 variety. In the cocks the hackle and saddle and tail feathers are cinnamon, 

 varying from a light to a rich, bright tint, and slightly striped with white ; the 

 thighs, breast, and fluff being a pale buff. In the hens the hackle is of a deep 

 cinnamon, and the rest of the plumage of a very j)ale buff, which in many spec- 

 imens is so light as to appear almost creamy white. The contrast of the light 

 body with the dark hackle is exceedingly pleasing. 



"Black Coehini were largely exhibited some few years since, but seem almost 

 to have disappeared from our poultry shows. They should possess all the char- 

 aqteristics of the other varieties as to form and size, and the plumage should be, 

 perfectly black throughout; but most of the birds formerly shown were coppery 

 red''' or brassy on the hackle and wings ; consequently, this variety did not find 

 any great favor with amateurs, especially since they frequently did not breed 

 true to color." * 



Of late years this breed has been taken up by American breeders, who have 

 largely succeeded in eliminating the objectionable brassy feathers. 



White Cbchms (See illustration, page 39) were an early, and for a time, very 

 popular offshoot of the original stock. They "must be perfectly pure in every 



* Tegetmeier. 



