JAPANESE, SILKIES, FRIZZLES, AND RUMPLESS. 



529 



it will nevertheless form a splendid basis, say 

 for Buff Orpington or Buff Rock Bantams. In 

 the former one would require white legs, and in 

 the latter yellow legs. The former when perfected 

 would probably soon become popular, and well 

 repay the time and trouble of production. 



The charming Japanese Bantams are also 

 amongst the oldest and most distinct varieties, 

 and are included in the Poultry Club Stan- 

 dards of igio. They were brought 

 Japanese very prominently forward by the 



Bantams. late Mrs. Ricketts, who in her day 

 advanced the breed very much. 

 How they will fare in the future remains to be 

 seen. Nevertheless they are very attractive 

 little birds, and so very different in shape and 

 style to any other Bantam extant. No wonder 

 Knighton Vicarage made them a great hobby, 

 and liberally patronised any shows where 

 classes were provided for them. 



Japanese are very short in thigh and leg, 

 in fact so much so that their bodies are only just 

 clear of the ground ; the lower they are the 

 better. Their wings being somewhat drooping 

 and long, actually touch the ground, whilst the 

 tails assume a directly perpendicular position, 

 almost touching the head. The Whites are most 

 popular with the fancy ; but Blacks, Greys, and 

 Buffs are also successfully shown. 



In Whites the body is white, whilst the sickles 

 and hangers, or tail-coverts, are black, with a 

 very sharp and distinct, but narrow lacing of 

 white round every feather. The primaries and 

 secondaries of the wings have the inner web 

 black. Altogether the tout ensemble is very 

 charming, aided, as it is, by the piquant style 

 of the little bird. The comb is single, face and 

 ears red, legs and beak yellow, the feet with 

 four toes. 



The Blacks are the same shape and style as 

 the Whites, but a sound black throughout. In 

 consequence they are not quite so taking as the 

 Whites, though they have many admirers. 



The Grey cock should be a silvery white on 

 back, wing-bow and hackles, on a black ground. 

 The hen is finely laced with silver, the lacing to 

 be clear and distinct. Wattles, comb, ears, and 

 face are a clear cherry-red, eyes red, legs and 

 beak yellow. 



Buffs should be what their name implies, a 

 good sound buff throughout, including the tail 

 and the flights. 



Japanese, as a rule, are not difficult to breed 

 and rear, providing the ground is dry, and the 

 runs fairly well sheltered. They are, however, 

 hardly adapted to cold, exposed situations, nor 

 to places with strong, cold, clayey, retentive 



3oil. They breed true to colour and type. No 

 doubt this arises from the fact that they were 

 probably bred for generations before being 

 brought into this country. The older a breed is 

 the purer it breeds ; the nearer it is to its origin, 

 the more difficult becomes the task. I can 

 recommend Japs strongly to ladies. They are 

 taking little birds, look well on a lawn, and do 

 very little damage in a garden, as by reason of 

 the fact that their legs are so very short, they 

 cannot compass much scratching. 



A group of Bantams whose distinctive points 

 lie in the formation or character of the plumage, 

 is represented by Silkies, Frizzles, and Rump- 

 less, all of which have Bantam 

 Frizzles representatives, but usually have ta 



and^*°' ^^"^^ refuge in a mixed class. The 



Eumpless. popularity of the Silkie fowl has 

 already been alluded to, and its 

 points described. It was Bantamised many 

 years ago, and specimens exhibited of white, 

 black, and brown plumage ; but the crosses by 

 which the diminutive size had been attained 

 were too evident in red faces, and occasionally 

 almost single combs. In this edition (191 1) it 

 is necessary to state that under present condi- 

 tions Silkies are not recognised as Bantams, and 

 are not therefore eligible to compete in Bantam 

 classes. Despite this decision the Silkie merits 

 mention here by reason of its indirect con- 

 nection with the Bantam fancy, and great 

 usefulness to Bantam breeders. Not only are 

 Silkies good layers, and their eggs wonderfully 

 fertile, but, if bred at the right time, they are 

 sure winter layers, and provide very early sitters 

 for early Bantam eggs. Not only will they sit 

 anywhere and for any length of time, but when 

 broody they will often " mother " newly-hatched 

 chicks without having actually gone to the nest 

 for a single day. Twice, having noticed them 

 walking about quietly clucking, and showing 

 other signs of a broody fit coming on, I have 

 taken them straight to the youngsters already 

 hatched out by a hen too big, but the only one 

 available when the eggs needed to be set ; and 

 the Silkie has at once relieved the other bird of 

 any further responsibility for the brood. This 

 is often a very useful trait in their character. 

 But still further, cross them with Pekins, and 

 you have, as already remarked, the very best 

 sitter and rearer possible for Bantam eggs, so 

 much so, that I often wonder why some people 

 do not make a speciality of breeding these 

 crosses. Once, after mentioning their merits in 

 an article, I was simply inundated during the 

 next breeding season for specimens of it, far in 

 excess of any I could supply, having fifty or 



