
FANCIERS’ 
JOURNAL 
AND 
Cee. Hen Gr ANGE. 
Wor... 
PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 9, 1874. 
rNo?-L5, 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
HYBRIDS OR MULES. 
, BY JAMES §. BAILEY, M.D. 
THE subject of mule or hybrid breeding is one of great in- 
terest to the fancy. Authentic accounts have been obtained 
of some, while we have reports of others without authen- 
ticity. 
At several poultry exhibitions the writer has noticed a 
hybrid said to have originated by crossing a Turkey hen 
with aGuinea cock. It has 
been illustrated in an agri- 
cultural paper, but the like- 
ness was so unlike the orig- 
inal bird that, placed side 
by side, it would not have 
been recognized. 
An identical bird, though 
of different sex, came into 
thewriter’s possession about 
two years ago, and with 
much difficulty the former 
* and breeder was 
, and through him 
and his family a correct 
history of the origin of the 
hybrid was obtained. The 
accompanying illustration 
was drawn from it by the 
distinguished artist, T. 
Kirby Vanzandt, of Al- 
bany, N.Y. Inthesketch 
he has succeeded in catch- 
ing the spirit and attitude 
of this curious bird. It 
was presented to the Commissioners of Central Park, New 
York City, and if still living can be seen there. 
Mr. Matthew Flausburgh, of Stony Hill, Albany County, 
N. Y., in 1865, obtained some Guinea eggs from a neighbor, 
but not having enough for a sitting, placed with them some 
eggs from the barn-door fowl; in due time they hatched 
and were reared together. The next year two of this brood 
—a Dominique cock and a Guinea hen—mated. The fact 
having been noticed by the family, the ovules from their 
amours were preserved carefully and set with a few turkey 
eggs. It isa known fact that hen eggs hatch in three weeks 
and guinea and turkey eggs in four weeks. This fecunda- 
tion so influenced the Guinea eggs that they hatched in three 
and a half weeks, while the turkey eggs hatched in the time 
which is usually required for. them. The chicks from the 
Guinea eggs presented a snuff-color, instead of the striped 
appearance of the true Guinea young. Only three eggs of 
this fecundation proved fertile, two only living a few days, 
while one matured, as seen in the engraving. 



Tegetmeier refers to this hybrid, and says that ‘they are 
true hybrids, being perfectly sterile and incapable of repro- 
duction among themselves or with either of the species from 
which they were derived.” Its plumage is mottled and 
sprinkled confusedly with brown, drab, and white, freckled 
with black, the white predominating, causing it to appear 
gray ata distance. It weighed six pounds, and stood thir- 
teen inches high. 
The cusque of the Guinea fowl was absent, but it had 
small wattles and a loose 
pendant fold of skin under 
its gullet, which was thinly 
covered with feathers. Its 
voice resembled theGuinea, 
and it was exceedingly shy 
and timid. It had no af- 
finity for domestic fowls, 
but preferred the society of 
turkeys, having been reared 
with them. As the hybrid 
advanced in age the color of 
its plumage grew lighter. 
This bird was more mi- 
nutely described in the 
Country Gentleman some 
two years ago. 
The Golden Pheasant 
sometimes crosses with the 
common domestic fowl. Its 
progeny is also a true mule, 
and like the hybrid just de- 
scribed, cannot be further 
crossed. 
In order to favor this 
production, the Pheasant must have been bred among do- 
mestic fowls. The male Pheasant occasionally pairs with 
a favorite hen, providing he has none of his own species to 
mate with. It is usual for only asmall proportion of eggs 
thus fecundated to prove fertile. The introduction of a 
Pheasant hen will immediately alienate the attentions of the 
cock Pheasant from his newly made mate. 
A friend, who had succeeded in rearing this cross, once 
stated that the cock Pheasant was exceedingly capricious, 
and would sometimes destroy several hens by picking them 
to pieces upon the rump before selecting one to his entire 
notion. Mr. Hewitt, who has given this subject considera- 
ble attention, describes the cross of the Golden Pheasant 
cock with five varieties of fowls, viz.: Spanish, Game, Buff 
Bantams, Golden‘and Silver Spangled Hamburgs. 
All of these hybrids were described as being exceedingly 
wild, with heads devoid of combs, wattles, or deaf-ear, with 
tails approaching the conformation of the Pheasant, but not 
so lengthy. 
