Langshans. 
157 
a demand for such birds.' — {Hmrison Weir). This strongly-expressed opinion found great favour with the 
Editor of the Victorian P. and D. Gazette (Australia), and was reproduced by him. 
• "Mr. Cook, of Orpington fame, writing in 1892, says : — 'Coming back to the Langshan, they are not 
delicate birds by any means, taking them on the whole; in fact, they are very hardy when bred properly. I 
may mention that it takes Langshan chickens longer to mature than it does many other breeds, oh account 
of. their large frames. They appear to make bone before putting on meat, but that does not in any way 
make them' delicate. When they are well-bred and fattened up, one could scarcely tell the difference between 
a cockerel at seven or eight months old and a young turkey when placed on the table. This breed is used to 
improve several .other varieties, and always puts constitution on the birds whenever it is used; improving 
them, in every way as regards utility, both for eggs and table.' This is great praise from such a source. No 
doubt Mr. Cook fully recognised the value of the Langshan breed when l^e started to manufacture the 
Orpington. In the Italian Diplomatic and Consular Reports on Trade and Finance, 1894 (Foreign Office), 
we read - — 'The importation of pure breeds is fast becoming a paying industry. Of the breeds hitherto 
imported, the Langshan isi the best winter layer and table fowl combined, possessing the a dditional advantage 
of beauty in shape and colour ; imported from England, and is a prime favourite.' In 1882, M. P. La Pere 
de Roo presented Miss Croad with a copy of his ' MonograJ)hie dcs Ra:es des Ponies,' in which occur the 
following remarks on the Langshan : — ' Although the birds of this race do not always resemble each oth2r 
closely, it must not be forgotten that they possess exclusive and decided characteristics common to the 
breed, which never vary, and are transmitted to their progeny from generation to generation with astonishing 
fidelity.' Mr. Harrison Weir noticed years ago that the anatomy of the Langshan was different to that of any 
other breed he. had ever handled. (Miss Croad's Letter, March 9th, 1894). 
" In addition to the Black Langshan we have the White and the Blue, which have both been fixed, and 
breed true to colour, the latter being the product of a cross between the Black and White varieties. These 
have both been received into the Langshan Club in England, and have many admirers. The White' has 
been before the public for many years, but the Blue is quite a recent introduction. 
"In type, shape, and general characteristics they are identical with the Blacks, the colour being in' the 
one pure white, and in the other the slaty blue seen in Andalusians. Speaking of the Blue Langshans, Mr., 
W- A. Jukes says, in Poultry (England), February 9th, 1894 :— ' The first pair of Blue Langshans I had, 
which I exhibited successfully at the Liverpool Show (England), were bred by Mr. Willard P. Smith, of New 
York (U.S.A.), and, in reply to my inquiries as to their origin, he assured me that they were composed of 
pure Langshan blood alone, being bred between Blacks and Whites for several generations on a system to, 
tliis end, particulars of which he forwarded me. Further, he says .that on the same system he can breed 
Bines in any bleed in which he has Blacks and Whites to start with. Now, had these Blues been produced, as 
some nave asserted, by a cross with the Andalusian, I should have expected to see some traces of the Andalusia,n 
parentage; but they have all come true to Langshan characteristics, pink skin (between the toes— D.F.L.) and 
all. True, they do not follow the Club type of Langshans, but they do adhere most closely to the older or Croad 
type in all save colour. Considering the very grave doubts which the adherents of the Croad type have as re- 
gards the purity of the Gamey type of bird which has received the hall-mark of the Club, for which Mr. Battersby 
judged, I would just remind him of the old proverb which runs, ' People who live in glass houses should not 
throw stones.' This is because Mr. Battersby called them ' so-called Langshans.' Writing to the Fanciers' 
Gazette, April 27th, 1894, Mr. Jukes says: — 'The chicks all come as true as possible to every Langshan 
characteristic ; those which come black it is impossible to tell from birds bred from Black parents As a 
matter of fact, I exhibited a Black cockerel bred from my Bines, and zvas highly commended with him. 
The point in which the Langshan differs from every other breed, viz., the pink skin about the feet, the Bines 
possess in a marked degree. If Fanciers will consider the matter, they will arrive at the same conclusion as 
myself, that, had the breed been crossed with any other, especially one so alien in every respect as the 
Andalusian, it would be impossible that every chick should show this characteristic point. Yet this is the 
fact.' Appended is the afifidavit of Mr. Willard P. Smith, that the variety was produced by four years' 
