VARIOUS MINOR BREEDS. 



5°3 



Temminck, Linnasus, and other naturalists, 

 besides old Aldrovandus. It was known in 

 India and China ; and perhaps the most re- 

 markable statement on record is 

 Rumpless that of the Rev. J. Clayton, so far 

 Fowls. back as 1693,* to the effect that 



he had observed in Virginia how- 

 most of the cocks and hens there were without 

 tails, adding that he was assured English stock 

 also after a time lost their "rumps." Buff on 

 adopted this latter statement ; but it is obvious 

 that the effect was simply the result of crossing 

 with the Rumpless stock, which perpetuates the 

 feature with very great persistence. A West 

 Indian gentleman informed us personally, in 

 1872, that the greater number of fowls in his 

 own neighbourhood had no tails ; and this 

 prevalence of such a feature in certain localities 

 is a curious parallel to the Frizzled fowls of 

 the Mauritius, the tail-less race of cats in the 

 Isle of Man, and other instances. 



Rumpless fowls are destitute of the caudal 

 appendage sometimes termed the " parson's 

 nose," from which the tail grows, and the 

 spine itself is — at least it is usually — minus 

 the final vertebrje. By long descent this 

 characteristic is so fixed that a Rumpless fowl, 

 crossed with any other, generally produces a 

 large majority of Rumpless birds ; hence a 

 Rumpless breed can be readily produced of 

 any colour and character desired. Thus it is 

 that we see Polish, and Bantams of all colours 

 and breeds, thus distinguished. Careful 

 selection is, however, necessary with these 

 cross-bred birds. Those shown other than in 

 Bantam classes generally average about 5 lbs. 

 and 4 lbs., and always attract attention, but 

 rarely any prizes, being regarded more as 

 curiosities than anything else. 



As a rule, Rumpless fowls are very hardy 

 and prolific, those qualities being kept up by 

 the frequent crosses they receive. The saddle 

 and cushion feathers are curled down over the 

 stern, from which cause the eggs of birds in 

 their natural state are often sterile ; but if the 

 hen's saddle be plucked to the requisite extent 

 this drawback is removed, and the produce 

 will be found as fertile as usual. 



Under the name of Naked Necks is now 

 and then seen a very curious variety, with 

 perhaps the most extraordinary characteristic 



known in any race of poultry. 

 Naked Necks. The first specimens we ever saw, 



and we believe the first to be seen 

 in England, were exhibited by Mr. John C. 

 Eraser in 1874. These birds were imported 



* Phil. Transactions, 1693, p. 992. 



from Austria, their place of origin being 

 Transylvania, whence several other specimens 

 have since been imported, the last exhibition 

 of them which we can remember being a pen 

 shown by Lord Deerhurst at the Dairy Show 

 of 1900. 



The heads of these birds are feathered as 

 usual, but the entire neck is absolutely bare of 

 feathers down to the shoulders, as much so as. 

 if plucked, and the skin being of a red colour, 

 almost like that of a healed wound. This red 

 colour is considered in Austria a point of the 

 breed. There is a curious tradition that their 

 origin was in a bird severely scalded on the 

 neck, so as to lose all the plumage, the feature 

 being afterwards transmitted ; but that this is 

 a mere fancy is shown by the extraordinary 

 tenacity of the point, which is imparted to its 

 crosses with all other breeds of fowl. From 

 such crosses has arisen much variation in colour 

 and other minor points. Black plumage is said 

 to be the most typical. Both single and rose 

 combs are recognised in Austria, but rose 

 combs are preferred. Both faces and ear-lobes 

 should be red. At the shoulder, or bottom of 

 the neck, there is a sort of frill, adorned in 

 front by a tuft of feathers. A writer in 

 Poultry states that in Austria considerable 

 importance is attached to this tuft of feathers, 

 as without it the contrast between the bare skin 

 and the plumage becomes rather unsightly, 

 and the bird is therefore reckoned of less 

 value. 



The same authority states that the economic 

 merits of this curious fowl are considerable. It 

 is said to be very hardy, a moderate eater, 

 and a good layer, the eggs being of consider- 

 able size. It is also a very satisfactory table 

 fowl. The young chicks are said to be par- 

 ticularly hardy as regards thriving in inclement 

 weather, their ancestors having been reared on 

 the rugged slopes of the Carpathian mountains. 

 With such a character, those who desire quaint 

 novelty in combination with really useful 

 qualities might do worse than try this singular 

 breed. 



The Jersey Blue, chiefly found in the State 

 of New Jersey, is little cultivated in America, 

 but managed to get into the Standard in 1888, 

 and is still bred, so that it has at least survived 

 for thirty years since we first mentioned it. The 

 Jersey and colour is that of the Andalusian, 

 Rosecomb the beak dark, and the eyes dark 

 Blues. ij^y . (-i^g shanks dark or slaty- 



blue, as usual with this plumage. From all 

 the descriptions we have read, and one or two 

 directly received, it appears to resemble the 



