494 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



we have not seen such birds in England, and 

 there seems to be no inquiry for such here. 

 In breeding for blacks I have obtained from 

 time to time a considerable number of 

 partridge-coloured pullets perfectly silky in 

 plumage, markings blurred, of course, but 

 very attractive ; but there has never been a 

 male bird of this cross hatched! I call them 

 ' Brownies.' They are very useful as sitters 

 and mothers, and may in time form a coloured 

 species, similar to one of the French varieties 

 now exhibited on the Continent. 



" I do not find a disproportion in the 

 number of each sex hatched such as Mr. 

 Woodgate describes. As to the natural habitat 

 of the Silkie, Dr. Campbell has made search 

 in Japan for Silkies, and has come to the 

 conclusion that these birds were imported from 

 South-Eastern Asia, and are not strictly 

 Japanese." 



Besides the usual white Silkies mentioned 

 above, we have seen on several occasions speci- 

 mens quite black, and of most singular beauty 

 they were. Crosses between the Silkie and 

 other breeds usually lose the peculiar plumage, 

 but the black skin and bone persist for genera- 

 tions. Such crosses have found mention by 

 some older writers as " Negro fowls," but have 

 no merit. "Cross-bred birds often possess, 

 however, the sitting propensities and qualities 

 of the Silkie- parent. 



This strong incubating instinct of the Silkie 

 makes it a most valuable fowl for those persons 

 who need sitters to hatch pheasant or Bantam 

 eggs. We cannot say that the general reports 

 we receive quite bear out Mr. Woodgatc's re- 

 marks about the laying of the pullets : most of 

 our friends state that even these rarely lay 

 more than fourteen or filteen eggs, and many 

 less, before desiring to incubate ; though they 

 are easily dissuaded if necessary, and soon lay 

 again. As they lay early and with certainty 

 if hatched in time, and incubation can be 

 hastened if desired by leaving eggs in the nest. 

 Silkies and their crosses may be a most valu- 

 able portion of the poultry plant, being 

 splendid mothers for small birds, and going 

 rather long with their charges. The one objec- 

 tion to them in this respect is the really extra- 

 ordinary tendency of the breed to scaly leg, 

 which will in turn be transmitted to the 

 chickens if an affected bird be employed as a 

 mother. The remedy is, of course, to watch 

 and guard against the complaint from the first, 

 though we think an occasional greasing with 

 oil containing some kerosene better as a mere 

 precaution than the sulphur ointment mentioned 

 above. When Silkies are kept for this purpose. 



the larger specimens should be bred from, 

 being much more useful. 



White Silkies require care in washing for 

 exhibition, else a bird well feathered in shanks 

 as it entered the bath may be found nearly 

 denuded when finished. The legs should not 

 be washed in hot water, but only lukewarm at 

 most. The water for the rest must only be 

 comfortably warm ; and if the bird faints, as 

 it is rather apt to do if too hot water is used, it 

 should be plunged at once into a tub of cold 

 kept handy. In any case this should never be 

 omitted at the end. This treatment will tend 

 to prevent the shank-feathering coming out. 



The Standard of Poultry Clubs is given 

 at the end of the chapter. 



SULTANS. 



These birds belong to the great Polish 

 family. Those now bred are from fowls sent 

 to Miss E. Watts from Constantinople in 

 1854; but very similar birds appear to be 

 mentioned in several old writers, and to be 

 known in South Russia. Only one or two- 

 specimens have been imported since Miss 

 Watts' originals, and breeders have never been 

 numerous. Yet it is a pretty fowl, with very 

 pretty ways and habits, and a disposition to 

 accept and return petting, and a mixture of 

 tameness and sprightliness, which arc very 

 attractive. 



The crest of the Sultan is full and globular, 

 the comb two tiny horns, beard and whiskers 

 very full, and wattles scarcely visible. So far 

 they are simply smallish white Polish fowls ; 

 but have five toes on each foot, the shanks 

 being well feathered, and the thighs heavily 

 hocked. The plumage is entirely white. 



The following notes on the characteristics 

 of Sultans are by the Rev. R. S. S. Wood- 

 gate, of Pembury Hall, Kent: — 



" Although I have but of recent date taken 

 to keep this beautiful variety, still I have 

 followed the breed for some thirty years with 

 keen interest. It is a very charming fowl, with 

 an immense deal of character. I have found 

 them impatient if disturbed — in fact, they will 

 fly out of their homes like birds, and alight on 

 any adjacent tree or wall, only in two or three 

 minutes to fly down again, and to be as 

 domesticated as is possible. They do well in 

 confinement, and are layers of large white 

 eggs, and these in goodly numbers. It would 

 hardly be credited how large is the size of the 

 ^Sg from even a pullet of this variety, con- 

 sidering its size. The eggs also appear to be 

 peculiarly fertile ; anyhow, this has been my 

 experience. I have found the Sultans to be 



