398 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. JUNE 21 
quality they were largely superior to the red sorts, which 
sold at double or treble their prices ; hut the difference 
has been due to mere caprice of fashion. I have bred pure 
Short-horn cattle for 50 years, although not within the last 
five. They were of all colors thatl havenamed, and I never 
could find any greater tenderness of constitution, want of 
hardihood, or other deficiency in the light than the red- 
colored : all were alike in physical qualities.The large major¬ 
ity of the bullocks at the fat cattle shows at Chicago for 
several years past have been light roan in color, there 
being seldom a red one, showing fully that the lighter 
colors are even preferable to red in perfecting their beef 
qualities, and that they do not detract from the excellence 
of the animals, but rather favor profitable production. 
LEWIS F. ALLEN. 
Albinoism the Result of Disease. 
I think albinoism is really the result of disease, and so 
albinos are tender and less vigorous than others of the 
same species. Unless a white animal is an albino 1 see no 
reason why it should not be as rugged as others. Indeed, 
feeders often say that white cattle feed better than red 
ones. If this be true, it would argue that they are in bet¬ 
ter health, as nutrition and vigor usually go together. 
The only exception I think of, is in case of white cats, 
which are often deaf; why we know not. 
Ingham County, Mich. A. J. COOK. 
Never Noticed it In the North. 
This idea of feebleness of constitution associated with 
white hair or plumage, probably originated from experi¬ 
ence with albinos—animals in which the coloring matter 
of all the dermal tissues is absent, and, also, as a rule, the 
coloring matter of the iris of the eye. In such subjects the 
irides are red, on account of the transparency of the tissue 
allowing the fine net work of blood vessels to be seen. 
With regard to the question as to a difference in hardiness 
dependent upon color, I have never noticed it. In the 
northern region where I live, close to the national bound¬ 
ary on the 45th parallel, we do not find white horses, 
white cattle, white swine, white poultry or white dogs 
showing more sensitiveness to cold than the same species 
of other colors, excluding, of course, the albinos above 
referred to. Many of our wild animals become white in 
winter, and if the change were unfavorable to vitality it 
could not take place, under the principle of natural selec¬ 
tion and the survival of the fittest. It is a notable fact 
that some of our wild animals which do not undergo this 
change—bears and woodchucks, for instance—“ den up,” 
or hibernate, during the cold season. 
Orleans County, Vt. T. H. hoskins, m. d. 
Thinks White Poultry Tender. 
The fatality among my w 7 hite fowls from sundry ail¬ 
ments has been greater than among all my colored fowls 
put together, the principal sufferers having been the 
White Leghorns. The White Plymouth Rocks I know are 
rather tender, and this can be accounted for by the patent 
fact that they are the result of a “ freak,” and such 
sports ” indicate degeneracy or lack of perfect vitality in 
the parents. I have never bred these. I know that my 
White Leghorns require more nursing than the colored 
breeds to keep them in the same condition. In the case of 
cattle, I have observed that in a herd the white ones are 
almost invariably in thinner condition than the colored, 
and I have also noticed the same thing in horses; but I 
would not set this down as a rule in the case of the latter. 
A white horse, in the strict sense of the word, is rare, 
unless it is well advanced in years. A gray will grow 
lighter in color from year to year until he passes irom the 
sphere of action, and this is not the case with horses of 
any other shade. An iron-gray or dappled gray after each 
shedding of the coat, will be a trifle lighter, until old age 
comes, yet I would consider such animals just as hardy as 
horses of any other color, and of course no animal ad¬ 
vanced in years has the endurance of a younger one. 
But as regards fowls and cattle that are white in “in¬ 
fancy,” I judge the case is on a different footing. Regard¬ 
ing swine, I have never observed any difference, although 
I have bred and had considerable acquaintance with all 
the different breeds. In fact I prefer a white hog to all 
others, but this preference is based upon choice of 
color in this especial case. In case of other farm animals, 
I judge that, aside from “white,” there is not much 
choice between the various shades as to the constitutional 
vigor of the animals. I have often seen horses with a 
white stripe down the forehead and over the nose, which, 
when running at pasture where “johnswort” grew, had 
the upper lips covered with scabs and very sore. This is 
almost universally the case. I also have a cow with red 
and white spots, and the latter, during the heat of summer 
sun, blister and become covered with sores, indicating at 
least tenderness of skin in the cow. orson winans. 
Considers White Poultry Hardy. 
I have never known hardiness to be affected by color. 
All fowls have a tendency to become white with age. The 
Light Brahma (nearly white) is one of the hardiest breeds 
we have. So is the White Leghorn. The majority of our 
white breeds are inbred more than the dark. The White 
Cochins are not extensively bred, and new blood is not so 
easily obtained as in the case of the other Cochin breeds, 
yet I doubt if birds of that breed, even with that drawback, 
are less hardy than the Black Cochins. Among quadrupeds 
we see no difference between gray and bay horses, and I be¬ 
lieve the Chester White, and Cheshire hogs are fully as 
hardy as the Berkshires or Essexes. There are fewer white 
than colored cows; hence but little observation has been 
made with regard to them. Color is more a matter of local 
preference than anything else. The tender fowls (those 
that are difficult to raise when young) are the Games and 
Dorkings; but the White Dorking is hardier than the 
colored with me. P. H. JACOBS. 
White Horses Full of Vigor. 
There is no question in our minds but that white or light- 
colored animals will stand both heat and cold better than 
animals of darker colors. This, we believe, is generally 
conceded. Then again, as is well known, the great Messen¬ 
ger, the fountain head of the trotting horse of America, 
was a white horse, yet an animal of extraordinarily fine 
constitution. He was imported from England in a sailing 
vessel and was a very long time on the voyage. In the 
same vessel a number of other horses of all colors were 
brought over, but Messenger, the white horse, was the only 
one out of all the number that did not require help and 
care in debarking from the vessel, because their long voy¬ 
age and confinement between decks had weakened the 
others/ On the other hand, the white horse came ashore 
full of courage and it is recorded of him that he carried 
two darkies, one hanging to each fide of his bits, the dis¬ 
tance of half a block up the hill when he left the ship. A 
large proportion of the finest Arab horses are white and 
many of the best families of English thoroughbreds are de¬ 
scendants of white Arab horses. Jean-le-Blanc (John the 
White) the great Percheron stallion that stood at the Stud 
stables of Pin in 1820, was as white as snow, and no one 
will question his stamina or enduring qualities or his 
ability to transmit these properties to his offspring. We 
could cite many more cases, but we think the above are 
sufficient, at least as far as horses go. Animals and birds 
of the extreme north are white or light-colored and are 
necessarily the most hardy of their kind. 
Wayne County, Michigan. SAVAGE & FARNUM. 
Light Brahma Poultry and Berkshire Swine. 
My experience with horses, cattle, swine and poultry 
will not sustain the opinion that “ a white color in the 
plumage or hair of an animal indicates tenderness or lack 
of the full hardiness of the breed or species to which the 
animal belongs,” in other words, that “ white animals are 
as a rule less hardy than colored ones.” Having paid 
much attention to the breeding and handling of poultry 
and swine during the last 80 years, I am well satisfied 
in the case of the Light Brahma for example, which has 
been a favorite with us during that time, that it is not a 
whit the less hardy on account of white predominating in 
its color. On the other hand, there has never seemed to 
be any reason for thinking the Berkshire hog, though in 
body-color black, any more hardy, on this account than if 
he were white. I have always admired the contrasts and 
exact markings in the Light Brahma fowls and the Berk¬ 
shire pigs, particularly in the latter. It has been noted as 
a marvel of perseverance, patience and skill on the part of 
the breeder that he should have given to the Berkshire the 
handsome markings he shows to-day ; he has four white 
feet; the tip of the tall is white and there is white on his 
face or nose ; but is not much of the success in this direc¬ 
tion due to some natural law of embryonic development, 
which tends to leave the extremities white, as in Hereford 
cattle and Clydesdale and Shire horses. And even the tops 
and bottoms are also white in the Herefords. 
PHIL THRIFTON. 
Nothing to Prove it. 
I am not able to say from my own experience or observa¬ 
tion that animals with hair of any one color are more or 
less hardy than others of the same class, but with a differ¬ 
ent color. Nor do I see any sufficient reason why there 
should be any necessary connection between the color 
of the hair and the hardiness of animals. The wide¬ 
spread belief that there is such a connection, as also that 
there is a connection between the color of the hair and in¬ 
telligence, disposition, etc., deserves respectful considera¬ 
tion ; but I do not consider the arguments in favor of the 
belief conclusive. As between different breeds, varying 
degrees of hardiness may be associated with color, but not 
dependent on it. There is a general prejudice against 
white-haired breeds of several classes of farm animals, but 
this rests, in part, at least, on other grounds than supposed 
lack of hardiness. I may sum up thus: personal experi - 
ence and observation have not shown me any difference in 
hardiness which I feel sure was caused by difference in the 
color of the hair or feathers of different breeds, or of ani¬ 
mals of the same breed. Widespread belief by intelligent 
men makes it presumptively true that color may affect 
hardiness, but it is not conclusively proven. 
University of Illinois. G. E. morrow. 
White Color and Domestication. 
Nearly all animals when domesticated are liable to be 
more or less white, and if that color is selected one may 
breed nearly all to it—cattle, horses, dogs, cats, sheep, 
pigs, ducks, pigeons and turkeys. I know of only a few 
exceptions. The ass is bred in some countries to a silvery 
white hue, but I never saw a pure white one. The canary 
is often nearly white, especially as regards its quill 
feathers ; but it is scarcely a pure clear white. The ring¬ 
dove is the greatest exception : I have never heard of any 
that were white. I have owned several white horses; but 
have never found them in any degree inferior to colored 
ones ; indeed, some persons consider such animals hardier. 
There is a prejudice against a white color in cattle. I have 
known farmers to kill a white calf merely through a dis¬ 
like of the color. In the wild state white was a common 
color in the cattle of the British Isles. The oldest native 
cattle are white, and are believed to be descendants of the 
primitive stock. They have reddish or blackish points 
(ears, muzzle, tail, hoofs, etc.), their color is not influenced 
by domestication, and they are strong and vigorous. White 
has been their color from a remote period. I never heard 
of white horses in a wild state. I suppose wild as well as 
domesticated hogs are white, as the long bristles for paint 
brushes, imported from Northern Europe are both white 
and black. Dogs, rabbits and cats become white in 
domestication; white dogs are said by Darwin to be more 
liable to fatal distemper. White cats are sometimes deaf. 
I have had two thus affected from their birth, out of about 
30. In no other respect did I find them deficient in consti¬ 
tution ; but they were much more intelligent than colored 
kinds. This may have been accidental, as these were all 
from one strain. I know little about the color of wild 
sheep; but white ones are spoken of very early in the 
Bible. Turkeys of all colors, except bronze, are deficient 
in size. White ones are perhaps a little the lightest. The 
reverse is the case with ducks ; the White Pekins are the 
largest and hardiest. Geese and swans are quite large, 
strong and hardy when all white; so are Guinea fowls. It 
would appear from most authorities that white animals 
are less adapted to hot climates than dark-colored ones. 
According to Darwin’s statements they are more liable to 
vegetable poison, and suffer more annoyance from flies. 
This is coupled with a statement in his “ Animals and 
Plants under Domestication,” vol. ii., page 276, that white 
chickens are more liable to gapes than colored ones. This I 
believe to be entirely erroneous. I never could distinguish 
any weakness in white poultry, although some have a pre¬ 
judice against whites. Among pigeons there are many 
white varieties, and in some breeds the whites seem the 
strongest. White Fantails appear finer than colored ones. 
As a general rule, mild or cold climates are conducive to 
white; hot climates produce fewer white animals, the 
white Fantail pigeon being an exception, having been bred 
for ages in India, and some suppose it originated there. 
White peacocks are said to be less robust than those of the 
“ natural ” color. There are many exceptions in the case 
of wild birds, although, generally, hot climates produce 
highly colored or dark plumage. Sea and shore birds are 
inclined to much white all over the world ; but no birds 
are stronger in proportion to their size, or exhibit greater 
endurance. Gulls have mostly light gray or pearly backs. 
Terns also have black crowns and wing tips, the other 
parts being mostly pure white. This is the typical color, 
varying, of course, in different species of this family. 
Many of the shore birds sport a plumage of quite strong 
colors during their stay for breeding purposes in the north 
—some in quite high latitudes; but they doff these for 
whiter dresses for flitting about in warm or tropical cli¬ 
mates during the rest of the year. Cold climates cause 
the color of some animals to change to white in winter 
only, especially in the case of quadrupeds; others are al¬ 
ways white as the polar bear, a very powerful animal. 
The ptarmigan is colored in summer, but pure white (ex¬ 
cept part of the tail) in winter, and this change protects it 
from enemies, as it remains in northern regions and is not 
a high flyer. This order is reversed in the case of the 
snow bunting, which is browner in fall and winter than in 
summer. The idea that all animals, especially birds, turn 
white, as a rule, in Arctic regions, is not so generally true 
as many suppose. Of the three varieties of the great 
northern falcons that seldom stray into the United States, 
even in winter, one, the Labrador falcon, is dark-colored. 
The snowy owl becomes almost white with age, although 
the great gray owl, that keeps more persistently to the 
north, never turns white. The same is the case with wood¬ 
peckers and others, especially the red-polls. The mealy 
red poll, with a slightly whitish wash over a dark ground, 
rarely leaves Greenland, in summer inhabiting the north¬ 
ern part. 
I have been thus explicit in order to show, first, that 
white comes almost invariably with domestication; sec¬ 
ondly, that cold and mild climates are more congenial to 
it; thirdly, that in such climates white does not appear to 
denote weakness or degeneracy; and, lastly, that the con¬ 
nection of white with cold is not without exceptions. In 
Darwin’s works the inference is one-sided, the quotations 
show the weakness only. Surely some one might have 
thought of the immensely large and strong Hampshire and 
Isle of Wight breed of hogs so common at one time. In 
conclusion, I know of no color denoting hardiness of con¬ 
stitution in our northern domestic animals. I have said 
nothing of albinos, as they do not come within the scope 
of the questions. henry hales. 
SOME NEBRASKA CARP EXPERIENCE. 
I send the R. N.-Y. "to-day pictures of my carp ponds. 
One, Fig 134, gives a view from the northwest of the breed¬ 
ing pond, and the dams first erected, and of the large 
pond first stocked with carp. Another, Fig. 135, presents 
a view of a pond completed in the following year; while 
a third, Fig. 130, shows the comparative size of the fish. 
The second pond lies adjoining the large one on the south, 
and is separated from it only by a dam of earth. The first 
dams were built in the summer of 1885. A collector and a 
sluice through which to drain the pond were put in the 
south dam at the bottom, and a sluice near the top to let 
out the surplus water accumulating from heavy rains ; 
and the upper end of each sluice was covered with galvan¬ 
ized wire-cloth to prevent the carp from leaving the pond. 
On November 4, 1885,1 received from the general govern¬ 
ment a tin can containing 18 parti-scale carp, about the 
size of a man’s small finger, and with these 1 stocked the 
pond. Among them there was one whose dorsal fin was 
bent considerably towards its left side, probably from some 
injury received on the journey. This I never saw after¬ 
wards. All the others appeared to be in good health, 
and they were seen swimming in the water on the 
21st of the month. We drained this pond on April 
26, 1880, leaving but about six inches of water 
in it at the lowest part, for several days. When we 
let the remainder of the water out, on May 9, we found 16 
fish alive and one dead. The pond was entirely destitute 
of vegetation. The carp had subsisted entirely upon the 
ingredients of the water, and the animalcules that were 
generated in it. They were fully three times as large as 
when first put in the pond. They commenced to spawn in 
July, and continued a month or so at intervals. The fish 
shown in the picture is one of these, of about the average 
size, at the age of three years and a few months. Its 
weight was nine pounds 14 ounces. It had been fed green 
