JAVAS 



487 



Other points vary at times, but most usually 

 the birds have rose-combs, and rather short 

 dark legs, the plumage being of all colours. 

 Years ago the most common colour was white ; 

 we have also seen all black: at present the 

 majority appear brown or partridge. Tem- 

 minck says that the breed was in his time found 

 throughout Southern Asia and the Eastern 

 Archipelago ; it is well known in Ceylon and 

 is very common in the Mauritius. That fowls 

 so widely spread should have so much in 

 common is remarkable. 



Frizzled Fowls. 



Contrary to the common belief, every 

 breeder who has had real experience with the 

 Frizzled Fowl, that we have yet met with, pro- 

 nounces it distinctly hardy. Mrs. Taylor, of 

 Ardgillan Castle, in Ireland, reported to us in 

 1872 that her Frizzles were the first to moult 

 (often featherless by the middle of June) and 

 the first to lay in the autumn. She found them 

 excellent mothers, and more tender for the 

 table than any other poultry she had experi- 

 ence of, even two-year-old birds being good, 

 and white in flesh. They are very small in 

 bone also. Though good mothers when they 

 did sit, this was very seldom. She found the 

 chicks hardy and easily reared, but slow in 

 feathering, and requiring in consequence long 

 brooding ; but the plumage did not harbour 

 vermin nearly so much as that of other fowls. 

 The weights were then about 5 lbs. for cocks 

 and 4 lbs. for the hens. Lately there has been 

 a tendency to breed them small, till they at last 

 found their way among the Bantams, and will 

 be found again under that section of this work. 



In breeding Frizzles for exhibition, almost 

 the only point to look to (besides colour, if the 

 latter be a self -colour) is perfectioa throughout 



the bird of the curled or frizzled character. 

 Any tendency to ordinary or natural character, 

 in any part of the body, should be discarded. 

 Some birds also seem to " show " the frizzle 

 better than others, and tliese are to be pre- 

 ferred, since judging of this variety, wherever 

 it has a chance, is very much a matter of first 

 impression. 



JAVAS 



The Black Java has been described in Dr. 

 Bennett's and several other American poultry 

 books from 1850 onwards, and some eighteen 

 or twenty years later, it undoubtedly shared in 

 the production of the Plymouth Rock ; but we 

 cannot hear of any being imported into Eng- 

 land before 1885, when pens were obtained by 

 Mr. Joseph Pettipher and several other 

 fanciers. The variety seemed likely at one time 

 to meet the views of those who wanted a large 

 black fowl, but did not care for tlie v-ery 

 scanty leg-feathering of the Langshan. The 

 clean-legged Orpington or Langshan, however, 

 ultimately took that place, and interfered with 

 any such prospects. 



Yet it is a handsome and " distinctive " 

 fowl. It is of the large type, the cocks reach- 

 ing 10 lbs. and the hens 8 lbs., but average 

 weights in England have been a pound less 

 than this. The plumage is close, of a very 

 glossy black all over, with green reflections. 

 The legs are black also, with generally a 

 yellow shade under the feet, and a tendency to 

 get rather willow with age ; but black through- 

 out is to be preferred, and is often found. The 

 ear-lobes are red, and there are distinctive 

 points about both the eye and the comb ; in 

 our own opinion these are the most truly char- 

 acteristic points of the fowl. The latter is 

 single, rather small, but somewhat thick at the 

 base, and in the main evenly serrated ; but the 

 serrations commence farther behind the beak 

 than usual, having a kind of smooth edge first. 

 This should be recognised as the typical and 

 proper " Java comb," and carefully preserved. 

 The eye stands alone, so far as we have ob- 

 served, except in a few Langshans. It is 

 brown, very large and full, and of a pecu- 

 liarly soft and yet spri'ghtly expression., diffi- 

 cult to describe. The body of the fowl should 

 be full and deep, the legs only medium in 

 length, the cock's tail rather full and flowing, 

 but not squirrel-fashion. 



Economically, the Java is very hardy, and 

 a good layer, the eggs being coloured. The 

 meat is very white and juicy, exactly resem- 

 bling that of the Langshan, with which breed 

 there is an obvious similarity. The hens are 

 clever sitters and good mothers. 



