I owe to Mr. Brent's kindness the examination of some specimens of this breed.)
SUB-BREED (b) PTARMIGANS.
An inferior breed closely allied to the last, white, rather small, legs much feathered, with the crest pointed; comb small, cupped; wattles small.
SUB-BREED (c) GHOONDOOKS.
Another Turkish breed having an extraordinary appearance; black and tailless; crest and beard large; legs feathered. The inner processes of the two nasal bones come into contact with each other, owing to the complete abortion of the ascending branches of the premaxillaries. I have seen an allied white, tailless breed from Turkey.
SUB-BREED (D) CREVE-COEUR.
A French breed of large size, barely capable of flight, with short black legs, head crested, comb produced into two points or horns, sometimes a little branched like the horns of a stag; both beard and wattles present. Eggs large. Disposition quiet. (7/3. A good description, with figures, is given of this sub-breed in the 'Journal of Horticulture' June 10, 1862 page 206.)
SUB-BREED (e) HORNED FOWL.
With a small crest; comb produced into two great points, supported on two bony protuberances.
SUB-BREED (f) HOUDAN.
A French breed; of moderate size, short-legged with five toes, well developed; plumage invariably mottled with black, white, and straw-yellow; head furnished with a crest, on a triple comb placed transversely; both wattles and beard present. (7/4. A description, with figures, is given of this breed in 'Journal of Horticulture' June 3, 1862 page 186. Some writers describe the comb as two-horned.)
SUB-BREED (g) GUELDERLANDS.
No comb, head said to be surmounted by a longitudinal crest of soft velvety feathers; nostrils said to be crescentic; wattles well developed; legs feathered; colour black. From North America. The Breda fowl seems to be closely allied to the Guelderland.
8. BANTAM BREED.
Originally from Japan (7/5. Mr. Crawfurd 'Descript. Dict. of the Indian Islands' page 113. Bantams are mentioned in an ancient native Japanese Encyclopaedia, as I am informed by Mr. Birch of the British Museum.) characterised by small size alone; carriage bold and erect. There are several sub-breeds, such as the Cochin, Game, and Sebright Bantams, some of which have been recently formed by various crosses. The Black Bantam has a differently shaped skull, with the occipital foramen like that of the Cochin fowl.
9. RUMPLESS FOWLS.
These are so variable in character (7/6. 'Ornamental and Domestic Poultry' 1848.) that they hardly deserve to be called a breed. Any one who will examine the caudal vertebrae will see how monstrous the breed is.
10. CREEPERS OR JUMPERS.
These are characterised by an almost monstrous shortness of legs, so that they move by jumping rather than by walking; they are said not to scratch up the ground. I have examined a Burmese variety, which had a skull of rather unusual shape.
11. FRIZZLED OR CAFFRE FOWLS.
Not uncommon in India, with the feathers curling backwards, and with the primary feathers of the wing and tail imperfect; periosteum of bones black.
12. SILK FOWLS.
Feathers silky, with the primary wing and tail-feathers imperfect; skin and periosteum of bones black; comb and wattles dark leaden-blue; ear-lappets tinged with blue; legs thin, often furnished with an additional toe. Size rather small.
13. SOOTY FOWLS.
An Indian breed, having the peculiar appearance of a white bird smeared with soot, with black skin and periosteum. The hens alone are thus characterised.]
From this synopsis we see that the several breeds differ considerably, and they would have been nearly as interesting for us as pigeons, if there had been equally good evidence that all had descended from one parent-species. Most fanciers believe that they are descended from several primitive stocks. The Rev. E.S. Dixon (7/7. 'Ornamental and Domestic Poultry' 1848.) argues strongly on this side of the question; and one fancier even denounces the opposite conclusion by asking, "Do we not perceive pervading this spirit, the spirit of the DEIST?" Most naturalists, with the exception of a few, such as Temminck, believe that all the breeds have proceeded from a single species; but authority on such a point goes for little.