^CULTURE’S 
THE N. 
EXCELSIOR 
I §3.00 i*ER 
S Single IVo., 
NEW YORK CITY MU ROCHESTER, N, Y 
41 Park Row, IVcw York 
H2 RulYnlo St., RocheHtcr. 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4 , I860 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by B. D. T. Moore, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.] 
ATSTD DUCKS, OWNED BY D 
GrAVIT, JAMAICA, 1ST. Y 
1. Toulon Geese 
Canada or American 'Wild Geese 
3. A-ydesfoury Duclt 
5. Kmhdeu or Bremen "White (Geese. 
The extract from Air. Byam I will not re¬ 
quote, as it is quite evident, that the bird de¬ 
scribed by him was not a turkey, but a cu- 
rassow. The conclasion that Mr. Dixon 
arrived at was, that there must iiave been a 
wild race of crested turkeys from which the 
crested birds described by Ai.nix and Tkm- 
minck had descended. I need hardly state 
that there is not the slightest possible inun¬ 
dation for such an opinion, nor for believing 
in the existence of wild crested fowls, which 
is also maintained by the writer. 
Crested turkeys are a variety, not a species; 
but it is singular that a variety that was so 
much admired many years since should have 
passed out of sight, at least so far as Europe 
is concerned. 
Tt is singular that this particular variety of 
an American species should now bo utterly 
unknown m its native country, lost entirely 
in Europe, and only recovered from Africa. 
When could the breed have, been taken there, 
and how came it to be preserved among 
the semi-savage tribes of the interior, whilst 
it was lost to the civilized races of Europe ? 
Of the origin of (his crested breed nothing 
is now known, but those who are acquainted 
with the theory of analogous variation, as 
propounded by Dahwin, will have no diffi¬ 
culty in understanding how such a breed 
could originate, seeing that, several allied 
genera of crested birds, such as Pavo, Lo- 
pophorus, Ac., exist. 
breed,—this also is the case with the Dork¬ 
ings and Polands. The marking of the 
Houdans in the fifth toe is known only to 
the Dorking breed, while the top-knot is of 
Polish origin. As to the cross making 
hardier birds than the originals, we very 
much doubt, for any breeder who has ex¬ 
perimented with cross-breeds to any extent, 
well knows that the longer the cross is con¬ 
tinued the more degenerated the bird be¬ 
comes,—and after awhile loses its identity. 
The first product of a cross makes much the 
finest birds,— as regards plumage, action, 
Ac.,—after which the breed seems run out, 
and presents to the beholder anything but a 
noticeable or appreciable bird. We have 
seen exceptions to this rule, however. 
Mr. Weight says the TToiidan ** in many re¬ 
spects resembles the Dorkings, and Dorking 
blood lias evidently assisted in its formation. 
We believe that a cross between the latter 
and a white Poland would not be very wide 
of the mark.” 
This is exactly our opUiqn, with this dif- 
cmltrn-Partr 
A CRESTED TURKEY 
Ox page 777 we portray a Crested Tur¬ 
key owned by Air. D. E. Davit, Jamaica, 
N. Y. This turkey is very rare. It is the 
first specimen we ever saw. But W. B. 
Tegetmkikr writes to the London Field 
concerning it as follows: 
Amongst the old writers on the natural 
history of birds are to be found references to 
i a singular breed of turkeys that were fur- 
;}J) nished with full crests of feathers. Thus 
f j. Albin, in his “Natural History of Birds, ' 
published in 1738, describes a single speci¬ 
men belonging to a Mr. Counedlyson of 
M Chelmsford. He wrote as follows, 
Y ‘ flic back and upper sides of the wings 
p- are of a dusky yellowish brown , the breast, 
By belly, thighs, and imder sides of the; wings 
rr white, the feathers on the lower part of the 
CROSSING FOWLS—EXPERIMENTS, 
Are the Ilouduns a Cross of the Dorking 
and Polish Breed? 
Tins question has been broached by sev¬ 
eral breeders in this country, who seem 
rather suspicious and doubtful as to their 
origin. Tim more we have thought, and 
read upon this subject, the more we are con¬ 
vinced, in our own mind, that they are a 
mongrel or mixture of the Dorkingaild Polish 
breed, anil our opinion is more fitly sub¬ 
stantiated by the views, expre--eil by Mr. 
AV right, in his “ Practical Poultry Keeper.” 
It is stated that the Houdans are a hardy 
