238 



FOWLS. 



Chap. Vn. 



birds of Africa, it is not probable that Gallus is an African 

 genus. We need not look to the western parts of Asia, for 

 Messrs. Blyth and Crawfurd, who have attended to this sub- 

 ject, doubt whether Gallus ever existed in a wild state even 

 as far west as Persia. Although the earliest Greek writers 

 speak of the fowl as a Persian bird, this probably merely indi- 

 cates its line of importation. For the discovery of unknown 

 species we must look to India, to the Indo-Chinese countries, 

 and to the northern parts of the Malay Archipelago. The 

 southern portion of China is the most likely country; but as 

 Mr. Blyth informs me, skins have been exported from China 

 during a long period, and living birds are largely kept there in 

 aviaries, so that any native species of Gallus would probably 

 have become known. Mr. Birch, of the British Museum, has 

 translated for me passages from a Chinese Encyclopaedia published 

 in 1609, but compiled from more ancient documents, in which 

 it is said that fowls are creatures of the West, and were intro- 

 duced into the East (*. e. China) in a dynasty 1400 B.C. What- 

 ever may be thought of so ancient a date, we see that the Indo- 

 Chinese and Indian regions were formerly considered by the 

 Chinese as the source of the domestic fowl. From these several 

 considerations we must look to the present metropolis of the 

 genus, namely, to the south-eastern parts of Asia, for the dis- 

 covery of species which were formerly domesticated, but are now 

 unknown in the wild state ; and the most experienced ornitho- 

 logists do not consider it probable that such species will be 

 discovered. 



In considering whether the domestic breeds are descended 

 from one species, namely, 6r. bankiva, or from several, we must 



a vessel wrecked there many years ago ; 

 they were extremely wild, and had 

 " a cry quite different to that of the 

 domestic fowl," and their appearance 

 was somewhat changed. Hence it is 

 not a little doubtful, notwithstanding 

 the statement of the natives, whether 

 these birds really were fowls. That 

 the fowl has become feral on several 

 islands is certain. Mr. Fry, a very 

 capable judge, informed Mr. Layard, in 

 a letter, that the fowls which have run 

 wild on Ascension " had nearly all got 



back to their primitive colours, red and 

 black cocks, and smoky-grey hens." 

 But unfortunately we do not know the 

 colour of the poultry which were 

 turned out. Fowls have become feral 

 on the Nicobar Islands (Blyth in the 

 'Indian Field,' 1858, p. 62), and in 

 the Ladrones (Anson's Voyage). Those 

 found in the Pellew Islands (Crawfurd) 

 are believed to be feral ; and lastly, it 

 is asserted that they have become feral 

 in New Zealand, but whether this is 

 correct I know not. 



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