40 
THE POULTRY BOOK. 
effort has not been crowned with success, and to the large majority of poultry 
breeders they are known only as Cochins. In the United States both names are 
employed ; those birds that are feather-legged being termed Shanghaes, whilst the 
clean-legged specimens are known as Cochins. 
Mr. Sturgeon, who was the first extensive breeder of Cochins in the form in 
which they are at present known, furnished the following account for the original 
edition of the Poultry Book. Although in some parts not in accordance with the 
taste of the present day, these opinions possess a historical value, and therefore we 
have thought it desirable to reproduce them. Perhaps the most decided objection 
that could be taken to Mr. Sturgeon’s opinion would be respecting the length of the 
back ; all Cochin breeders of the present time regard a short back as an essential 
requisite in first-class birds. 
A Cochin, to please me,” writes Mr. Sturgeon, ‘‘must have' a stout curved and 
yellow beak, with plenty of substance at the base, and the shorter the better. The 
outline of the head should seem to be round in the hens when looked at from the 
side, and when the eye catches the comb and wattles ; and I like just so much comb 
of a fine quality as will stand up, and give that appearance of roundness. In the 
cock the comb will be larger ; but the most careless observer will easily note the 
great difference of quality — some races showing a close and smooth texture, delicate 
as a lady’s hand, and others a considerable roughness. The eye should be red and 
full — it gives a nice brisk look to a sufficiently quiet bird, harmonizes better with 
the general colour, denotes more constitution, and is less liable to disease. In all 
cases of contracted pupil and blindness, the pearl or broken-eyed birds have been 
the sufferers. The neck cannot be too short, nor the body too long, deep, and 
broad ; nor the shank and tail too short. But why need I take up time here on 
points that are obvious to all, beyond observing on what I believe to be the true form 
and carriage of the body, which, both in the cock and hen, I like drooping forward, 
and with the hinder parts consequently raised ? A great depth from the base of the 
neck above, to the point of the breast-bone, with its weight of flesh, tends to 
produce this form, and to show to advantage the fluff and feathers peculiar to the 
Cochin. The length of the breast-bone is to be desired and looked to. With 
this form all will appreciate the neat head, short neck, and the broadness of the 
back, continued from across the wings to the tail ; and that redundant supply of 
feathers immediately before the tail which gives the broad, square look that dis- 
tinguishes the high-cast birds, and which makes their tails apparently so short. 
The small compact wing will accompany these qualities. On the back, before the 
tail, will be found a profusion of feathers, and that fluffiness about the thighs and 
the tail and hinder parts of the body that forms with the feathered legs one of 
the chief characteristics of the race. Too much importance cannot be attached to 
straight, well-boned, short shanks ; and if you want appearance, weight, and con- 
stitution, they must be wide apart. To my mind, this is a capital requisite. 
For colour, I prefer the light buffs; but I do not place colour first. It 
stands with me thus — form, size, colour ; and for these reasons ; — No bird can be 
