The great question whether the black fowls of the Langshan district on the Yang-are merely a cross with Cochin-Chinas, tszeckiang are pure and distinct breed, or seems to be still a moot point with fanciers and exhibitors at Home, judges at poultry shows-even appearing to disagree on the jint.. Mir., A, Skene, of Aberdeen, when in Shanghai about o couple of years ago, sent a number of the birds, obtained direct, from the Langshan district, to Mr. John Thomson, of Aberdeen, an enthusiastic Bred from and exhibited the birds. and poultry fancier, who has since successfully their progeny. The question of purity of breed, however, remaining as we have above said, an unsettled point, Mr. Skene has sent us several copies of The Live Stock Journal, in which was published the following correspondence on the subject, with a request that we would reproduce it, in the hope that it may lead to the discovery of some authority near the "home" of the birds, which would help to settle the controversy now raging, and once for all give the fowls their true position amid the feathered tribes I am obliged by the reference in your elaborate report of this show to my two unnoticed pens 1,611 and 1,620. 1 submit, how-that there is no cession wherefore you should take fright and retreat from the "real han which you had thought given the breed some character ind it humbly appears to. me Fetreat" ought to take place in a quarter. My two cockerels were placed first and second at the recent Hemel Hempstead show by the judges, Cressivell and M. Leno, after having' "pat their-heads together over thie variety, and tried to please Langshan teering clear of Cochin type for their a T quote from your report of that show. which was firat at Hemel Hempstead, I again exhibited at the Dairy sow last month, and it was there placed first and cup by Me Hewitt and R. Teebay. Then, finding from the schedule that these two last-named. judges were in the list of gentlemen who were embol to enter my two cockerels there to judge at the Crystal Palace show, I was also, and the following statement in report now explains to me how ti has arisen:—'Mr, Tegetmé French, La and Any Other Variety."
Te would me that Mr. Tegotmeier, in place of the laudable example of his broth ring the Cochin typ "the cup bird alm to the winner in Cuchi the Crystal Palace show lant year, You will that capacity after what took place at
ly excuse my quoting from your remarks our Journal of 16th Novem-nun clang we utterly appreciable dis-3 but the 'Club'
ouspicuous by their absence, We un-they object to the judge, in which case we consider they should state what judge they approve of, in order that commu may, if possible, accommodate them."
lithic surprised, after the warning thus given, t find that' Mr, Tegetmeie n acted as shan jud
on his uly yraeetul aot judge ti class when hie decisions are not Langshan Club, If that Club suggested, it Tegetam inst: year froma the Crystal Palace show was conclusive on that point. I should think it can afford but little gratification to Mr. Tegetuneier to have two Cochin classes ab lity shows, called and the Langhans," and now that something real type" of the Langshan has discovered by other ji r. Tegetmeier ought in fairness to " and nob assist his contumacy in batling' the solution of what you are humorously pleased to call "the greatest problem of this or any other age," knowledge to enable me to give you a descrip.
1 ann sorry T have not eullcieut poultry tion of the points which distinguish Long. shans from black Cochin", as Lam only an inexperienced amateur, but it is evident to me that there must be a very considerable Gifference when Messrs, 0.°E, Creswell, M. Leno, E. ud R. Teebay, all thoroughly trai skilled poultry judges, can recognise a distinction so great aa to place birds of a certain type in the front rank, while Mr. Tegetmeier can also recognise such a marked distinction s to entitle him to pass the very same birds entirely over as unworthy of any place. It is not yet two veers since my birds arrived in this country from the Langehan district of China, and though the have been frequently in the show pen both here and in England, this is the frat oe they have been ignored by any judge ither at the English or Scotch shows, They hat not only been very often placed in Any Of Variety class, but have also been put first in the Selling class, showing an amount of ap. preciation perhaps seldom attained, 1, Ann Place, Aberdeen, 18th November, 1878.
[We deem attack upon judges by name inadmissible, rule, unless for very atron, reasons; but we are sure Mr. i pardon our allowing an exe as it so brings out the peculiar beauty of thi discussion, " We believe poor Mr. Tegetmeier is not to blame, as supposed, since we have heard it whispered that no judge will te Langshans who can possibly help it; and i the fact, we believe, tha ince we learn with dismay that we are in danger of being regarded as authority in the matter, that our remark was only to the effect that three birds out of a lot were of a type which "might" give the breed a character. We never said that type was prevalent; it la entirely different from any type ever shown yet by Major Croad o¢ others who have been prominent in the matter sand itenticely differs from the portraits and standards of the Club,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.