Nomenclature of Fowls. c. February 1855.
The principle on which poultry nomenclature is founded is mainly that of their original geographical dispersion. In several classes this is sufficiently authenticated ; but in others from the little attention, in former days, bestowed upon the subject, and the difficulty of recognizing present rates in the usually vague and indistinct accounts of the few early writers on this branch of natural history, great uncertainty necessarily prevails.
Malays, and other Asiatic fowls, Bantams and Shanghaes. we are enabled to trace satisfactorily from their primitive habits; hence, indeed, our often expressed unwillingness to accept erroneous designation of "Cochin-China," a district from which few, if any, specimens of the last named fowls appear to have been derived, while Shanghae {Shanghai} is clearly the head quarters of the breed.
The same reasoning sanctions the employment of the term Dorking to the five-clawed fowls that had their origin in the districts around that town, or were at least, those first brought into general reputation.
Hamburghs, again, in the " Pancilled " variety, are fairly referable to that locality, though far, we must acknowledge, from being so exclusively ; more especially in recent years, when our main supply has been received from Holland, The "Spangled" Hamburghs however, are justified in claiming that title solely from certain features common to them with the pencilled birds.
But, at the same time, the various synonyms that are suggested in lieu of their present generally received designation, are all and each of them, open to equal, if not greater, objections than that they now bear.
Regarded in this light, the Polish fowl has a still worse case, and the principle of an original geographical position, is here unsupported by any trustworthy evidence, if usage, therefore, be considered as insufficient authority for the name they now bear, we must confess our inability to afford any clue to a better designation founded on the same ground. So that, if we depart from the present system, to style them simply " tufted fowls," seems the only alternative left to us.
Game fowls were emphatically called, by no less an authority than Buffon, the celebrated French naturalist, the English fowl, and, indeed, if an uniform geographical system be insisted on. we do not see how they could be better described, although the derivation would here proceed from the circumstance of their having been brought to the highest state of perfection, not from having been the aboriginal fowl in this country.
Lastly, as respects Spanish, the type of that breed is pre-eminent in Spain, though common in a greater or less degree, throughout various regions on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The various alleged distinct breeds that make appearance in the "miscellaneous" class, may, for the present, be omitted in the inquiry now before us. Those already mentioned are, confessedly, the great divisions of the species; and if we are not mistaken, the remainder, Silk fowls, and one or two others, at the utmost, alone excepted, it will be difficult to make out their claim to any distinct and separate origin.
Polish and the Spangled Hamburghs are, therefore, the cases where the principle of geographical disposition fails to warrant the names of our fowls. Many and labored have been the efforts to assign the primitive abode of the former; but, however plausible and ingenious, none have hitherto carried conviction to our own mind ; and a majority of those who hare turned their thoughts to the same subject are probably of the like opinion. But the main object of any name applied to any object, animate or inanimate, is to specify and distinguish it from others; if, indeed, the name so given has a manifest tendency to mislead to important erroneous conclusions, a grave objection is at once evident, and proof of a more accurate designation should at once cause the disuse of the misnomer.
But as before stated, unless we substitute "tufted fowls " for Polish, and, perhaps. " rose-combed, spangled fowls," for the present Spangled Hamburghs, we see no solution for our difficulty ; and if this be done, geographical disposition ceases to be our guide.
An accurate designation of a species, either animate or inanimate, has frequently been unattainable till after many changes and revisions.
Botany, and other sciences, afford us many instances of such alterations; we need not, therefore, be surprised if the "nomenclature of fowls," a subject on which general attention has only so recently been bestowed, should as yet labor under the same difficulty. Efforts, however have been made of late to reduce the previously confused and contradictory system to some degree of order, and the assent of an over whelming majority of Poultry Societies, has been accorded to the classification promulgated at Birmingham.
Nor do we see how any better example could have been followed. Our decided impression, from all that has been advanced on the subject, points to the retention of the present system, founded on geographical disposition as the basis for the nomenclature of fowls; some modifications, it is true, may be desirable, and in certain cases, the evidence may not be altogether satisfactory as to the original locality.
We look around,'however, in vain for any other better principles of classification, and, furthermore, confidently anticipate that the care that is now being bestowed on the points of merit of the different breeds, will also conduce to the most correct nomenclature, for which authorities may be attainable.— London Cottage Gard.
The principle on which poultry nomenclature is founded is mainly that of their original geographical dispersion. In several classes this is sufficiently authenticated ; but in others from the little attention, in former days, bestowed upon the subject, and the difficulty of recognizing present rates in the usually vague and indistinct accounts of the few early writers on this branch of natural history, great uncertainty necessarily prevails.
Malays, and other Asiatic fowls, Bantams and Shanghaes. we are enabled to trace satisfactorily from their primitive habits; hence, indeed, our often expressed unwillingness to accept erroneous designation of "Cochin-China," a district from which few, if any, specimens of the last named fowls appear to have been derived, while Shanghae {Shanghai} is clearly the head quarters of the breed.
The same reasoning sanctions the employment of the term Dorking to the five-clawed fowls that had their origin in the districts around that town, or were at least, those first brought into general reputation.
Hamburghs, again, in the " Pancilled " variety, are fairly referable to that locality, though far, we must acknowledge, from being so exclusively ; more especially in recent years, when our main supply has been received from Holland, The "Spangled" Hamburghs however, are justified in claiming that title solely from certain features common to them with the pencilled birds.
But, at the same time, the various synonyms that are suggested in lieu of their present generally received designation, are all and each of them, open to equal, if not greater, objections than that they now bear.
Regarded in this light, the Polish fowl has a still worse case, and the principle of an original geographical position, is here unsupported by any trustworthy evidence, if usage, therefore, be considered as insufficient authority for the name they now bear, we must confess our inability to afford any clue to a better designation founded on the same ground. So that, if we depart from the present system, to style them simply " tufted fowls," seems the only alternative left to us.
Game fowls were emphatically called, by no less an authority than Buffon, the celebrated French naturalist, the English fowl, and, indeed, if an uniform geographical system be insisted on. we do not see how they could be better described, although the derivation would here proceed from the circumstance of their having been brought to the highest state of perfection, not from having been the aboriginal fowl in this country.
Lastly, as respects Spanish, the type of that breed is pre-eminent in Spain, though common in a greater or less degree, throughout various regions on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The various alleged distinct breeds that make appearance in the "miscellaneous" class, may, for the present, be omitted in the inquiry now before us. Those already mentioned are, confessedly, the great divisions of the species; and if we are not mistaken, the remainder, Silk fowls, and one or two others, at the utmost, alone excepted, it will be difficult to make out their claim to any distinct and separate origin.
Polish and the Spangled Hamburghs are, therefore, the cases where the principle of geographical disposition fails to warrant the names of our fowls. Many and labored have been the efforts to assign the primitive abode of the former; but, however plausible and ingenious, none have hitherto carried conviction to our own mind ; and a majority of those who hare turned their thoughts to the same subject are probably of the like opinion. But the main object of any name applied to any object, animate or inanimate, is to specify and distinguish it from others; if, indeed, the name so given has a manifest tendency to mislead to important erroneous conclusions, a grave objection is at once evident, and proof of a more accurate designation should at once cause the disuse of the misnomer.
But as before stated, unless we substitute "tufted fowls " for Polish, and, perhaps. " rose-combed, spangled fowls," for the present Spangled Hamburghs, we see no solution for our difficulty ; and if this be done, geographical disposition ceases to be our guide.
An accurate designation of a species, either animate or inanimate, has frequently been unattainable till after many changes and revisions.
Botany, and other sciences, afford us many instances of such alterations; we need not, therefore, be surprised if the "nomenclature of fowls," a subject on which general attention has only so recently been bestowed, should as yet labor under the same difficulty. Efforts, however have been made of late to reduce the previously confused and contradictory system to some degree of order, and the assent of an over whelming majority of Poultry Societies, has been accorded to the classification promulgated at Birmingham.
Nor do we see how any better example could have been followed. Our decided impression, from all that has been advanced on the subject, points to the retention of the present system, founded on geographical disposition as the basis for the nomenclature of fowls; some modifications, it is true, may be desirable, and in certain cases, the evidence may not be altogether satisfactory as to the original locality.
We look around,'however, in vain for any other better principles of classification, and, furthermore, confidently anticipate that the care that is now being bestowed on the points of merit of the different breeds, will also conduce to the most correct nomenclature, for which authorities may be attainable.— London Cottage Gard.
No comments:
Post a Comment