BRA HMA-POOTRA FOWLS. The Brah mas have long been favorite fowls with farmers, from their quiet habits, large size, and the quick ness with which they grow to a marketable size for frying. In all the original breeds the deaf ears, fell below the wattles, and this characteris tic bas constantly been sought to be perpetrated. The hackles should be full and spread well and evenly over the back and shoulders. Vulture hacks, especially, should be well avoided. The backs should be well furnished with soft curling feathers, and the legs booted (feathered) quite down to the toes. This to apply to pure bred birds. In the farm yard, where birds are grown simply for market, nice qualifications are not essential, nevertheless the general characteristics should be preserved. As illustrating the two prominent breeds of Bralima-Pootra fowls, we give two cuts one of dark Bralimas, and one of light Bralimas. In relation to the two varieties Lewis, in his Practical Poultry Boolc. says: The Dark Bralimas are claimed by many breeders to be the best of the Brahma variety, but we opine there are just as many who stand ready to claim that the light are equally as good, if not a better breed. Still some breeders claim that the flesh of the dark is richer and more palatable than that of the light. Our opinion is that the difference between the two colors is all fancy, one proving just as good as the other, under similar manage ment. Having bred both colors, we have yet to learn the distinctive difference between them. The plumage of the dark does not show the same mussiness of feather as the light; still, if kept in a clean, dry hennery, as fowls always should be, Ate difference is imaginary. So far as our indi vidual opinion may go we like the dark fowls best, as bred to-day. The head of the cock should be surmounted with what is termed a " pea comb " This resembles three small combs running parallel the length of the head, the cen tre one the highest; beak strong, well curved; wattles full ; ear-lobes red, well rounded and falling below the wattles. The neck should he short, well curved; hackle full, silvery white striped with black, flowing well over the back aud sides of the breast; feathers at the head should be white. Back very short, wide and flat, rising into a nice, soft, small tail, carried upright; back ahnost white; the saddle feathers white, striped with black, and the longer the better. The soft rise from the saddle to the tail, and the side feathers of the tail to be pure lustrous green black (except a few next the saddle), slightly tipped with white, the tail feathers pure black. The breast should be full and broad, and carried well forward; feathers black, tipped with white. Wings small, and well tucked up under the sad dle-feathers and thigh fluff. A good black bar across the wing is important. The fluff on the hinder parts and thighs should be black or dark gray; lower part of the thighs covered with soft feathers, nearly black. The markings of the lieu are nearly similar to those of the cock. Both sexes should have rather short yellow legs (those of the hen the shorter) and profusely feathered on the outside. The carriage of the hen is full, but not so upright as that of the cock. The markings of the hen, except the neck and tail, are the same all over, each feather having a dingy white ground, closely penciled with dark steel gray, nearly up to the throat on the breast. Coming now to Light Brahmas, a cut of which we give below. The following are the character
istics given for those pure bred. They should be chiefly white in color of plumage, but if the feathers are parted, the bottom of the plumage will appear of a bluish-gray, showing an import ant distinction between them and White Cochins, in which the feathers are always white down to the skin. The neck-hackles should be distinctly striped with black down the center of each feather. The plume of the cock is often lighter than that of the hen; the back should be quite white in both sexes. The wings should appear white when folded, but the flight feathers are black; the tail black in both cock and hen; in the cock, however, it is well developed, and the coverts show splendid green reflections in the light; it should stand tolerably upright, and open well out laterally, like a fan; the legs should be yellow and well covered with white feather* which may or may not be very slightly mottled with black; ear-lobes must be pure red, and every bird should have a perfect pea-comb, though fine birds with a single comb have oceasionally been shown with good success; but, as a general thing, the pea-comb fowl shows off to the best advan tage, and attracts universal commendation by both the amateur and breeder. The Chittagong breed of fowls was looked upon as possessing a great deal of merit, but in these latter days of Brahma and Cochin fever they have been lost sight of, and we scarcely hear the name of Chit tagong mentioned; though we firmly believe the Buff and White Cochins owe their parentage to a cross with the Chittagong and Shanghte breed. Kerr's Ornamental Poultry Breeder says the plumage of the Chittagong is very showy and of various colors; the birds being exceedingly hardy. In some, gray predominates, interspersed with lightish yellow and white feathers in the pullets; the legs being of a reddish flesh-color, and more or less feathered; the comb large and single; wattles very full, wing,s good size; the model is graceful, carriage proud and easy, and action prompt and determined. The flesh of this breed is delicately white. The cocks, at eight or nine months of age, weigh from nine to ten pounds, and the hens from eight to nine pounds. They do not lay as many eggs during the year as smaller hens, but they lay as many pounds as the best breeds. The red variety of Chittagongs are smaller than the gay; legs being yellow and blue; the wings a.nd tail short; eomb single and rose-colored. An ordinary pair will weigh from sixteen to eighteen pounds. In the dark-red variety the cock is black on the breast and thighs; the hens yellow or brown, with single serrated Comb; legs yellow and heavily booted with black feathers. The Chittagongs, as a breed, are quite leggy, in many instances, the cock standing twenty-six inches high, and the liens twenty-two. The Cochin China breed is becoming more and more favorites with the general breeder, not only in England, but also in this country. They are deservedly high iu the standard of merit among farmers on account of their hardiness and good laying qualities. In fact, although all the Asiatic breeds are persistent sitters in summer, they lay plenty of eggs in winter and early in spring. The Brahmas, however, are generally kept by farmers. They will average about 100 eggs per year, and furnish these at a season when eggs are scarce, and consequently high.