Exhibit showing the results of selection for a new Buff Race

Abstract

A self-colored race of poultry was first produced in China about 1,500 years ago. All buff races of poultry have been derived from this Chinese race, the Buff Cochin. An attempt has been made to create a uniform buff race out of the Jungle Fowl. In 1907 a Jungle Fowl was crossed with a White Leghorn. This gave offspring in which the red of the Jungle Fowl appeared on a white ground, the black of the Jungle Fowl being hypostatic to the white. The birds showing largest amount of red were selected for breeding. During the first two years no progress was made but after that more highly colored red males and more uniformly colored red females were produced. From 1909 to 1918 no evident improvement in the uniformity of the red coloring has appeared. The reason for the marked improvement in 1909 was due to the fact that, unintentionally, blood from the Dark Brahma (also an Asiatic breed) was introduced. This race has no Buff Cochin blood but a type of pattern which is more diffuse than that of the Jungle Fowl and hence permitted the buff pattern to break the limited bounds proscribed by its position on the Jungle Fowl.

Owing to the great amount of inbreeding which the experiment has necessitated and the increasing sterility and weakness of the offspring it will be necessary soon to bring the experiment to a close. The results obtained, however, speak strongly for the impotence of selection in an inbred line, with few genetical factors, unless new mutations afford new foundations upon which to advance. It is quite clear that the original Buff Cochin was not made by slow selection from a bird with the Jungle-fowl type of coloration. The Buff Cochin probably originated as a xanthic sport.