THE POULTRY BOOK. 
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 ‘ Shanghaes ’ are one and the same. One thing is 
certain, the breed you have in this country as Cochin-Chinas are plentiful about 
Shanghae. They were discovered there after the war, and were frequently brought 
to this country, and taken to India, by captains of trading vessels. Was not this 
the date of their introduction to England ? And what grounds has any one for 
supposing the fowls ever saw Cochin-China ? ” It may be thought that this variety 
might have been earlier known, owing to our long-established commerce with 
Macao and Canton, hut Mr. Fortune says that it is a breed hut little known in 
those warmer parts of China, and that, in fact, the southern Chinese were as 
much struck with the size of the breed as we were.” He adds, “ The Shanghae 
breed seems to he more common about Shanghae than anywhere else in the north ; 
hut I found it over all the low country of that part of China. The southern breeds 
have been long well known to ship-captains and English residents ; hut there is 
nothing very marked in their character.” 
Having stated the date of introduction and the place from whence they were 
derived, Mr. Fortune informs us as follows respecting the characteristics and 
treatment of the birds as they occur at Shanghae itself. In the letter already 
quoted, he says, “ The Shanghae breed occurs both with feathered and unfeathered 
legs, but more frequently unfeathered. The most admired kinds there are the 
game-coloured ones. However, I am safe in saying that the Chinese do not attach 
so much importance as we do to purity of colour : large size and large eggs are 
what they most admire and prize. The young birds are most extraordinary-look- 
ing creatures. They may he frequently seen half-clad with feathers, and oftentimes 
have long tufts on their feet, making them seem to have several extra toes, when 
they are wet. The old gentlemen have, in Shanghae, as in this country, most 
abortive-looking tails, and they may be readily known all over the world by their 
* sweet voice.’ 
‘‘ The Chinese are not particularly careful in managing their poultry. They 
feed them in the same way as our cottagers do in the country ; that is, the birds 
are allowed to get as much as they can for themselves, and I need scarcely tell you 
they are not very particular. When the Chinese housewife feeds them, she gene- 
rally gives them paddy ; that is, unhusked rice.” 
Although it is certain that the Shanghae fowl is frequently met with in its native 
district with unfeathered legs, even more frequently than with feathered or hooted 
legs, nevertheless, in our own country fashion has decided most imperatively in 
favour of the feather-legged birds, to which alone prizes are now awarded at our 
poultry shows. 
In accordance with the facts that these birds were imported from Shanghae, and 
comparatively unknown in Cochin-China, it has been thought by some writers 
desirable to endeavour to correct the popular but erroneous name of Cochins, and 
to substitute that of the port from whence they were originally obtained ; hut the 
