The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

their wits, and although tame enough with
the manager. they are most sure TO hide in
the grass when a stranger comes about
So followed directions and waited results
After about fifteen minutes patient wait
Ing. i was rewarded by seeing first one,
then another, and at last all six come out
They were the first / had ever seen. Unlike
the galius baEkiva and domestic fowls, the
rooster has a rather large comb and only
one waffle, which latter he has the power
OF expanding until ii hangs nearly three
inches below his bill. The upper part or
the comb Is a brilliant red, the middle part
vivid blush green, and the lower part
bright Yellow. The waffle is similarly COL
ored. They utter a peculiar singing note,
somewhat similar to the grooming or
domestic hen when she is contented. The
hens are without the gorgeous tri-colored
comb. The habits and manner of gallus
varius reminds one strongly of the pleas
ant and they seem to be a sort of con-
Meeting link between the latter and the true
chickens. In still another Enclosure / saw
quite large flock of Sonnerat's fowl. gall
lus sounerati, of Java. These resemble the
pit game more than anything L know OF.
Il saw some hybrid chickens, bred be-
tween Sallus sonnerau and the common
and jungle fowl, but they are complete
mules, and will not breed again. The Son
nerat fowls were not quite so wild as gall
lus varius. Thus far the latter have never
crossed with the common fowl, although
mules were obtained between the two
species some years ago In London. None
of the gallus varius ROSTERS crowed while
4 was present, out COnner2U COCKS were
quite noisy. Their Growing is altogether
different from that of the common fowl.
1t reminded me of the bantam crow re-
versed. They also make a noise some
what similar to the pot-rack! pot-rackr
of the Guinea fowl. These Sonnerau fowls
cost Mr.. Davenport $50 pair. They have
Matched out several broods of young chick
ems which are doing WELL but gallus varius
has thus far failed TO produce eggs to
incubate. In addition to the birds / have
described, i saw every manner or rare
pheasant you can think OF, vulturlne guine
fowls; white, black-winged, Javanese. and
common peacocks, a curassow or two, and
many other strange birds.
CHICKENS OF SHAKSPEARE'S DAYS.
Davenport is also the only person on
this side of the Atlantic who Is breeding
the now nearly extinct old Sussex and
Surrey fowls. and the ancient red dork-
ings. These three breeds, the first two
of which are enormous birds, were the
common fowl of England in the days OF
Queen Elizabeth. To-day they are bred
by four families scattered about remote
districts of England. Those who still
breed the Sussex and Surrey fowls have
been doing so for generations, and think
so much of the breed that they will not
part with them for love or money. Mr..
Davenport had to search all over England
| before he found these survivals of ancient
breeds, and 1t was only after the utmost
QAHiCullt THAT lie HidndScu 10 secure SeNeIdl
pairs. The family who had maintained the
blood OF the old red dorkings in all It's
purity for several centuries were exceed
ingly reluctant to part with pair to Mr..
Davenport. The old Sussex and Surrey
breeds as large the largest cochin,
but have no feathers on the leg. The old
red dorking is smaller and more shapely
than the modern dorking, and is a. deep
buff red throughout
with hundreds OF domesticated wild
birds, IT is not at all surprising that occa-
sfonally some of them should evince de-
sire 10 return to the old free life. Last
fall a little wood duck drake thought 1t
time TO start for his winter home in Flor
ida. He would get his little mate upon a
Jog, and seem to say to her, "All ready,
here we co. and away he would soar at
a great rate. But his little wife could not
follow, because one Of her wings was clip
ped (pinioned). Try as she would the effort
was useless, so, at last, after days Of urg-
ing. the male took his departure and was
seen no more that winter One day last
spring Mr. Davenport was standing near
the lake when he saw, as he supposed, q
wild duck drop down into the water. A
sudden shrtn call, and the little lone wife
that had kept herself all winter came rush.
ing across the water to meet and greet her
dear husband.
Another case was that of a big Javanese
peacock. He had lived I'm backyard in
the city until he came TO the Davenport
place, and during that time had never at
tempted to escape, but when released, last
July, in the pleasantly, he spread his
wings, flew of through the woods and over
hills, and did not return until the follow
Ing December. Doubtless he Thought he
was back I'm the jungles of Java. until cold
weather came on. Mr.. davenport Is now
raising a number of the hardy North China
pheasants, which he intends to place in
the Yellowstone National Park.