CHAP. VII. SEXUAL DIFFERENCES. 267 



are sliort and stiff in Malays, and absent in Kennies. As in 

 some orders male birds display extraordinarily-shaped feathers, 

 such as naked shafts with discs at the end, &c, the following 

 case may be worth giving. In the wild Gallus bankiva and in 

 our domestic fowls, the barbs which arise from each side of 

 the extremities of the hackles are naked or not clothed with 

 barbules, so that they resemble bristles ; but Mr. Brent sent 

 me some scapular hackles from a young Birchen Duckwing 

 Game cock, in which the naked barbs became densely re- 

 clothed with barbules towards their tips ; so that these tips, 

 which were dark coloured with a metallic lustre, were sepa- 

 rated from the lower parts by a symmetrically-shaped trans- 

 parent zone formed of the naked portions of the barbs. Hence 

 the coloured tips appeared like little separate metallic discs. 



The sickle-feathers in the tail, of which there are three 

 pair, and which are eminently characteristic of the male sex, 

 differ much in the various breeds. They are scimitar-shaped 

 in some Hamburghs, instead of being long and flowing as in 

 the typical breeds. They are extremely short in Cochins, 

 and are not at all developed in Hennies. They are carried, 

 together with the whole tail, erect in Dorkings and Games ; 

 but droop much in Malays and in some Cochins. Sultans are 

 characterised by an additional number of lateral sickle- 

 feathers. The spurs vary much, being placed higher or lower 

 on the shank ; being extremely long and sharp in Games, and 

 blunt and short in Cochins. These latter birds seem aware 

 that their spurs are not efficient weapons ; for though they 

 occasionally use them, they more frequently fight, as I am 

 informed by Mr. Tegetmeier, by seizing and shaking each 

 other with their beaks In some Indian Game cocks, received 

 by Mr. Brent from Germany, there are, as he informs me, 

 three, four, or even five spurs on each leg. Some Dorkings 

 also have two spurs on each leg ; 53 and in birds of this breed 

 the spur is often placed almost on the outside of the leg. 

 Double spurs are mentioned in an ancient Chinese Ency- 

 clopaedia. Their occurrence may be considered as a case of 



53 'Poultry Chronicle,' vol. i. p. position of the spurs in Dorkings, see 

 &9b. Mr. Brent has informed me of 'Cottage Gardener,' Sept. 18th, I860, 

 lho same tact. With respect to the p. 380. 



