Fowling

The act or practice of pursuing or killing wild fowl for food or game. This has been followed in all parts of the world since the time when man was given dominion over the fowls of the air. By some it is made a means of subsistence, while by others it is only pursued as a recreation. It is often attended with great toil and danger, as in the case of sea-birds, whose breeding places are the shelves and ledges of lofty precipices. Various methods are employed for capturing birds, according to their habits. Small birds intended for the table are often taken in nets. Bird lime (q. v.) is used also in the capture of them, especially in hot and dry weather when they congregate where they can get water. Traps, or snares, of different kinds are also employed. One of the most common is the thread or hair with a noose in which the bird is caught by the head or the feet. The modern sportsman generally employs the rifle and shoots the bird either when on the wing or after it has alighted. Decoys are used, especially with wild ducks, to lead them within shot. Numerous kinds of ducks, geese and plover are sought after, and gannets, gulls, terns, guillemots, and other sea-birds, furnish the most adventurous objects of pursuit to the fowler. Fowls, Domestic. The importance of the poultry industry of the United States is made prominent by the fact, revealed by the census of 1890, that the annual value of the poultry product at that time was $290,000,000-exceeding that of any one other agricultural industry. Hundreds of you sands are exclusively engaged in poultry raising; the number of profe ional poultry fanciers exceeds 100,000; and more than 50 weekly and monthly journals are to-day published in the interest of the poultry industry. The raising of fancy breeds has become a popular fad with wealthy people, some of whom have poultry plants costing from $3,000 to $20,000; and there are hundreds of poultry farms where from 3,000 to 15,000 chickens and ducks are raised. An elaborate Poultry Show is held each year in New York, and similar exhibitions are frequent and popular elsewhere. The U. S. Government i ues regular poultry bulletins, containing much valuable information and current news relating to this important branch of agricultural industry. PURE-BRED POULTRY.- Considerable difference of opinion exists as to the origin, or original habitat, of the several breeds of domestic poultry; the statements American breed. It is believed that the Plymouth Rocks originated in a cro between these and a larger breed. Javas and Jersey Blues complete the list of Americans; these have some physical peculiarities, but in a general way rank with the Plymouth Rocks. The Cochins are descendants of the old Shanghae, or Brahma - Pootra fowls (which came originally from Cochin-China), whose stilted legs and long necks have been reduced by intelligent cro ing. The buff varieties are largely used for cro ing with inferior stock to secure weight and firmne of flesh. These fowls are only moderately good layers, but they sit persistently and the hens make model mothers. Light Brahmas , the largest of all breeds, are, as they exist here to-day, practically an American variety, being the result of careful and long-continued breeding from the old Brahma-Pootra stock. They are the best layers among the large varieties, and make good "broilers" at 8 to 10 weeks. After the chicks are 12 weeks old they grow rapidly and become bony; therefore are not desirable for market from the time they are about 3 months old until fully matured. The pencilled Hamburgs are supposed to have originated in Holland; the spangled varieties are of English nativity, and were once known as Lancashire Mooneys and Yorkshire Pheasant Fowls. The And alus i ans , as the name indicates, came from the province of And alus i a, in Spain. Silkies , sometimes called Negro Fouls , are from India. Frizzled fowls are found in all countries. The Leghorns are natives of Italy; but the white and brown varieties have been so greatly improved in this country as to be fairly cla ed as Americans. The name of the Polish breed probably comes from the word "poll," meaning "head;" the skull has a prominent bony cyst, above the orbits, not found in the uncrested breeds. The eggs and fowls of this breed are rather small; they are chiefly bred for fancy purposes, and had their origin in Holland. The Sultan fowls come from Constantinople. This breed is very rare, and it is difficult to secure pure-bred stock from its native place, as it is there considered a sacred bird. The Sultans are extremely showy, pure white, with a large crest and beard, and five toes. Their legs are feathered all around, as are all the toes. The Sultans were first owned and bred in this country by Mr. George O. Brown, of Baltimore. The Malays are from India. The origin of the Game fowls is involved in some doubt, though England claims to be its native land. Contrary to a very common impre ion, these varieties are not largely raised for fighting, but almost wholly for practical purposes. They are hardy, and po e great muscular development about the breast; and are therefore valuable to cro with common stock or thoroughbred varieties. The Indian Game, when cro ed with stocky breeds, produces excellent broilers at an early age. Sebright bantams were originated by Sir John Sebright, of England, about the year 1800, after a long period of patient breeding. The breed known as the Rumple are without tails, and the caudal appendage irreverently called "the parson's nose" is also lacking. Aldrovandus mentioned this breed two centuries ago. There is a breed in England, called Scotch Grays, that resembles our Plymouth Rocks in plumage, but has pinkish-white instead of yellow legs. Guinea fowls are from the Cape Verde Islands and Jamaica, where they abound in a wild state. Ducks. The Aylesbury originated in Bucking hams hire, England. The Rouen , of French origin, is almost identical in plumage with the wild Mallard. The Cayuga breed originated on Cayuga Lake, New York. Following are the standard breeds of domestic poultry in the United States, with the varieties of each breed, as recognized by the American Poultry A ociation: AMERICAN . PLYMOUTH ROCK: Varieties - BARRED; WHITE; BUFF; BARRED, PEA COмв. Plumage of the Barred varieties shows parallel bars of bluish-black and white; all have single combs except the Barred with pea comb; all have yellow legs. WYANDOTTE: Varieties-SILVER; GOLDEN; WHITE; BUFF; BLACK. All have rose combs and yellow legs, except the Black, which has black or greenish-black legs. Plumage of Silver is white in center of feather, laced with black; of the Golden, golden center laced with black. JAVA: Varieties-BLACK; MOTTLED; WHITE. All have single combs. DOMINIQUE: Has rose comb. JERSEY BLUE: Has single comb. ASIATIC . BRAHMA: Varieties-LIGHT; DARK. Both have pea comb. The Light variety has white plumage, except the tail, which is black, slightly laced or edged with white; necks penciled with black; male and female marked alike. The Dark variety (male) | has solid black breast and tail; neck is silvery-white with black stripe down center of feathers; back, silvery white; saddle, silvery-white feathers striped with black; the legs and outer and middle toes are well feathered. | The hens are beautifully marked, the silvery-gray color being distinctly pencilled with darker stripes. COCHIN: Varieties-PARTRIDGE; WHITE; BLACK; BUFF. All have pea combs. The male Partridge has black breast and tail; neck, bright orange-red, with black pointed and striped centers in feathers; back, dark red brown; saddle, marked very much like neck; wingbows rich maroon-red. The hens are beautifully pencilled, reddish-brown ground marked with darker shades; necks similar to males. All Cochins must be heavily feathered on legs and on middle and outer toes. LANGSHAN: Varieties-BLACK; WHITE. Both have single comb; legs feathered to a medium degree, and the outer toes feathered to their extremities. MEDITERRANEAN: Varieties-BROWN, SINGLE COMB; BROWN, ROSE COMB; WHITE, SINGLE COMB; WHITE, ROSE COMB; BLACK, SINGLE COMB; DOMINIQUE, SINGLE COMB; SILVER DUCK-WING, SINGLE COMB. MINORCA: Varieties-BLACK; WHITE. Both have single comb. AND ALUS I AN: Variety-BLUE, SINGLE COMB. SPANISH: Variety - WHITE-FACED BLACK, SINGLE Сомв. POLISH: Varieties-WHITE CRESTED BLACK; GOLDEN SILVER; WHITE; BUFF LACED; BEARDED, GOLDEN; BEARDED, SILVER; BEARDED, WHITE. HAMBURG: Varieties-BLACK; WHITE; GOLDEN SPANGLED; SILVER SPANGLED; GOLD PENCILLED; SILVER PENCILLED. RED CAP: These have immense rose combs, whence their name. CAMPINE: Varieties-SILVER; GOLDEN. Both have single combs. FRENCH. HOUDAN: Black and white mottled plumage; five toes on each foot. CRÈVECŒUR: Variety-BLACK. LA FLECHE: Variety-BLACK. All have combs shaped like the letter V. ENGLISH. DORKING: Varieties-WHITE; SILVER; COLORED. The White variety has a rose comb, the others a single comb; five toes on each foot. GAME: Varieties-BLACK-BREASTED RED; BROWN RED; GOLDEN DUCK-WING; SILVER DUCK-WING; RED PYLE; WHITE; BLACK; BIRCHEN. The above list comprises the varieties of the Standard Games. GAME BANTAM: Varieties-Same as the Standard Game. INDIAN GAME: Variety-CORNISH. MALAY: Variety-BLACK-BREASTED RED. SEBRIGHT BANTAM: Varieties-GOLDEN; SILVER. Both have a rose comb. ROSE-COMB BANTAMS: Varieties-WHITE; BLACK. BOOTED BANTAM: Variety-WHITE, with single comb. COCHIN BANTAM: Varieties - BUFF; PARTRIDGE; WHITE; BLACK. These are, in all respects, the large Cochins in miniature. JAPANESE BANTAM: Varieties - BLACK-TAILED; WHITE; BLACK. All have single combs. POLISH BANTAM: Variety-WHITE; has white crest. MISCELLANEOUS. RUMPLESS: Various colors. RUSSIAN: BLACK. SUMATRA: BLACK, with immense long tails. SILKIES: WHITE, with weble , soft, fleecy plumage; five-toed feet, feathered; legs also feathered; head and skin dark purple. SULTAN: WHITE; heavily crested, muffled and bearded; feathers on legs and toes. FRIZZLE: Various colors. In addition to the foregoing, there are bred in the United States the following that are cla ed as purebred fowls, viz.: SHERWOOD (white), Ancona (mottled), WHITE WONDERS, and DARK BRAHMA BANTAMS. DUCKS.-The varieties embrace the PEKIN, white in color, originating in China; the AYLESBURY, a white English breed; the ROUEN, a parti-colored French variety; the black CAYUGA; the colored and the white MUSCOVY; the gray and the white CALL; the CRESTED WHITE; and the EAST INDIAN, black. GEESE. The gray breeds include the TOULOUSE (French) and the WILD (Canada); the EGYPTIAN is a colored variety; the German breed, EMBDEN, is white; the AFRICAN is gray; and of the CHINESE there are two varieties, the brown and the white. GUINEA FOWLS.-There are two kinds-the well known pearl, and the white. 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