Domestication always produces some modifications of structure in animals, and more especially in organs of minor importance, as in the length of the tail and ears, and in the development of various appendages. That the comb of the jago fowl should be large, and often double, is not surprising. Most of our ordinary breeds have a rose crown, yet this development is never found in any wild species. It is the result of domestication, and occurs in a part most liable, as might be anticipated, to change.

THE PHEASANT-MALAY FOWL.

SYNONYMES. Gullus giganteus (var. ?), Temminck; Pheasant- Malay Foul, Pheasant Fowl, Pheasant Breed, of the English Poulterers.

This variety may claim the sad pre-eminence of having given occasion to more disputes than any bird of its tribe, always excepting the game cock. It is highly valued by many English farmers, not on account of its intrinsic merits, which are considerable, but because they believe it to be a cross between the pheasant and the common fowl, than which nothing can be more erroneous. The pullets and cockerels are represented as excellent for the table, and when brought to market meet with a ready sale, less because they are really fine birds, than because the seller assures his customers, in perfect sincerity, that they are halfbred pheasants; and the buyer readily pays his money down, thinking that he has got a nice fowl, and a taste of pheasant into the bargain-something like the Paddy who was delighted, at breakfast, on finding that he was "ateing a little hen" when he had only paid for an egg.

Let it be clearly and distinctly known, then, that the "pheasant breed" of the English poultry fancier is no more a mule between the common hen and the cock pheasant, than the Cochin-China, or ostrich fowl, is a half-bred ostrich. Yet, hybrid birds produced between

the pheasant and common fowl are of frequent occurrence. The London Zoological Society have possessed several, which were for a time kept together, but showed no signs of breeding; they are considered, like other hybrids, to be unproductive among themselves, all being half-bred; but when paired with the true pheasant or the fowl, the case is different. The society has had exhibited at the evening meetings two instances of success in this sort of second cross. The first was in 1831; the second instance in 1836. Two cases only, and those in the second cross, ascertained during all the time that the society has had extraordinary means at command, are exceptions so rare, as to confirm the rule that such mules are barren, and incapable of founding a family, and becoming the ancestors of a distinct race. A correspondent in the London Agricultural Gazette, a most successful breeder of them, also admits, that, after many trials of these paired hybrids, he had "never brought up but two to be a'most hens," and that they took the megrims (staggers,) and died.

And yet, an evidently sincere writer in the publication last referred to, declares: "From what I have seen of the plumage of birds casually produced at the wood side, (from crossing with pheasants,) I believe a judicious and scientific selection would lead to the production of very fine varieties, and that, among others, the dark pheasant-plumed breed, both of Bantams and common poultry, would reward the patient inquirer."

The pheasant-Malays are described as large, wellflavored, good sitters, good layers, good mothers, and in many points an ornamental and desirable stock. The eggs vary in size, some very large, in summer, smooth but not polished, sometimes tinged with lightbuff, balloon-shaped, and without the zone of irregularity. Six eggs of these hens weigh very nearly 12

ounces.

This breed is very graphically described by a late

English writer, nearly in the following words." The cock is a large-sized bird, of a dark-red color, with a small comb; but the beauty of the breed is with the hens, which are of a pheasant-color in all parts of the body, with a velvety-black neck. The shape of both male and female is good. The neck is long and highcrested, giving them an appearance quite superior to other fowls in that particular. The color of the hens varies from the warmth of the plumage of the cock pheasant to the colder hue of the hen pheasant, but as I have always bred from the high-colored birds, I now have the better color generally predominating. The legs are white, and also the skin. They are excellent birds on table, both as to quality, shape, and size. They have no resemblance to the Malay, except that the cocks are rather high on the legs, the hens being the reverse. The combs of the hens are very small. The hens never have a foul feather, but I have never seen a cock which does not show some small mark of white on one of his tail feathers. You will observe in the hens of the pheasant-Malay that the two longest tail feathers are somewhat curved, which, when the bird is full grown, and in full feather, materially improve the appearance. They do not arrive at their full size until the second season. They lay well, but late. Their eggs are very small in proportion to the size of the birds. I should say that their weight was, on the average, above that of the black Spanish, while their eggs are a third smaller. * * The hens have scarcely any comb. The cocks always have a comb extending but a very little way backward, but standing up so high as always to fall a little over on one side. I have never seen any variation as to the combs nor the color of the neck and tail feathers, either of males or females, which indicates them to be a real variety. The only variation I have observed is in the body color of the hens, and this is not in the marking, but merely in the ground color. * * * * * The eggs are quite small, but of excellent flavor, neither

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very white nor brown; the shape varies considerably. The chicks are of a yellowish color, with sometimes two brown stripes down the back and a few specks about the head, but more usually without either. They have, however, invariably the hinder part of the back of an intenser or browner yellow, almost amounting to a warm fawn-color. * * * * * My male birds have a very peculiar feathering on the neck-the neck feathers being very long and full, dark-red, and black at the tips, but the under part of a downy white. The consequence is, an appearance of mixed dark-red and white about the neck, which is the more peculiar from its being so particularly at variance with the glossy-black neck feathering of the female. The feathering of the back and wings is rather scanty, and the tail is not very full. The bird has a good, erect carriage. * The chickens of this breed are very small at first, and but scantily supplied with down. As they begin to grow, they have a very naked appearance from the slow development of their feathers, and this renders them very susceptible of cold. six weeks old, they are not above half the size of Dorkings of the same age, but after two months, they grow very fast, and the pullets feather well and show indications of their permanent color. The cocks are ragged in appearance until five months old, after which they get their permanent plumage, and grow fast. As a sort of profitable growth, I cannot recommend them, but the ornamental figure and color of the hens, I think, is beyond question. The flesh, at table, is extremely good and white; and they lay abundantly, though late. I have a strong suspicion, from various peculiarities, that they are of comparatively recent introduction into this country, from a much warmer climate. * * * * * Baker, of London and Chelsea, (one of the best fancy dealers,) told me that they were a breed from Calcutta. They are certainly tender, and are apt to die in the moulting."

At

SYNONYMES.-Gallus gallinaceus (var.?), of Naturalists; Coq anglais, of Buffon; Gallo peleador, of the Spaniards; Game Fowl, Game Cock, Fighting Cock, of the English and Anglo-Americans.

It is not within the range of the present little treatise to kunt up the distinctions of the sporting fancy, particularly cock-fighting, which, it is hoped, will soon become obsolete; yet an allusion to those distinctions might excite the curiosity of the naturalist. It is the temperament which gives the bird its value in the eye of the sportsman; its physical qualities deserve the notice of the ornithologist. But even now, many of the handsomest game cocks to be seen, are already