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Fowl Makes
U. S. Debut
VAJHJNOTON - A fancy
OhMtaa with a 80 -foot-Ionj tall
Nil the rooat In Japan.
Breedera In tha southwestern
part of tha country have
haaa raising tha remarkubia
lour-tailed fowl for three
centuries.
Called Onagadorl, from "O"
for tall, "naga" meaning long,
and "dorl," for fowl, they
evolved from tha common domeatlc
chicken. Only rooatara
can grow the long tails, which
oaa be black and white, red and
Hack or pure white.
Settled h America
The fantastic fowl recently
immigrated to the United States.
Dr. Prank X. Ogaaawara, an
avian physiologist who had been
tidying them in Japan with
the support of the National GeoSociety,
brought back
egga to his laboratory at
tfca University at California at
Davis. His 'precious cargo
raided II chicks.
"ay creatures have great
potential, Dr. Ogaaawara reports
in the December National
Geographic. "Successful
etching could give this country
breeding stock for research in
nnetlca, cell growth, and the
nulling process."
*> Japan the birds are still
fairly numerous, although the
oountry has fewer than 24 fanciers
and breeders.
"There are no real secrets
;to raising the long-1 ailed fe wl,"
Mjrs an expert.
'One must have good breedIn*
atock and look for birds
o# calm disposition, and one
■s"*t keep them in good health
«nd train them to withstand conAlter
they reach five or si*
months of age, the birds are
kopt in tall, specially built roost
bona because any strenuous
ovtslda activity could break off
their feathers. As the plumes
lengthen - about three feet a
rear—they are colled and hnng
ob a hook Inside the bo* by a"
loop of twine.
Yea Seizes Breeders
"A yen to specialize overtakes
most breeders," exPWeeDr.
Ogaaawara. "They
concentrate on developing color
cfeaaCM or greater length
oi tall, or on producing fowl
to meet certain highly specific
Ridging standards."
The results can be astonishing.
The plumes on one champion
measured 34.8 feet.
l*e feudal pageantry of 17thceatary
Japan apparently
■tnrtad the fad. A powerful
aoMeman, seeking a distinctive
9e«r decoration for anelabor*e
procession to Tokyo, demanded
tribute from his subjects
In long feathers.
T>» gain prestige, one of the
aotdeman's people busied hlmanlf
with breeding fowls for
tteir long tails.
The passing of feudalism
m the 19th century wiped out
demand for Onagadorl feathers.
Y#t * tradition had taken root,
end fanciers stumbled onto the
•"•etlc combination that led to
much longer tails.
The hobby can cause problems
for pre sent-day breeders.
An apartment-dwelling wife
caressed concern dtout her
neighbors. "They know that my
husband and I love these birds.
we worry that the crowing
eartjr la the morning will dlsnearby
friends."
Leirns Fist
Prom learning to thread bar
sewing machine to making a ]
nUb bridesmaid dresa in two
sewing workshop* 1« the atory of
Mr*, ft, N. Hawkins, Loulsbarg.
. Mrs. Hawkins attended a j
sewing construction
la July. There she learnto
thread and use her
and to cot, mark and
a simple dress.
returned to an advanced
construction workshop
The last Friday at the worktop,
Mra. Hawkins came in
' disturbed. The night bear
from Washi
with a dress
id satin fabric. She
mother to make the
so she could
ear * la a wedding on Saturday.
Fortunately the pattern waa
Mrs. Hawkins
on Frloaly
had some has
to do, Mrs. Pranoes