536 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



need it as well as other creatures, and we believe the Creator provided it as much for them 

 as other living things. One not accustomed to the care of fowls would be surprised at the 

 quantity of water fowls will drink when having free access to it, and such fowls always seem 

 to thrive best and be the most free from disease. 



Game Bantams are said to be quite hardy, and as table fowls, what there is of them is 

 exceedingly delicate and fine flavored, making a very good substitute for partridges. The 

 hens are quite good layers, good sitters, and the best of mothers, tenderly caring for their 

 chicks, and defending them against all intruding enemies of the poultry yard. 



Rose-Combed Black Bantams. This variety, sometimes called the Black African 

 Bantam, is a perfect specimen of the Black Hamburg fowl in all respects, except size, also 

 the points of the wings drooping; having the same general contour, the rose comb with its 

 terminating spike behind, white ear-lobes, plumage, and color of beak and legs. 



The size of the birds varies, of course, somewhat; the cocks will weigli from fourteen to 

 twenty-eight ounces, and the hens from twelve to twenty-four ounces; cocks from eighteen to 

 twenty ounces being usually regarded as the best birds. The disqualifications for this variety 

 of Bantams, given in the Standard, are: &quot;Cocks weighing more than twenty-eight ounces; 

 hens weighing more than twenty-four ounces; cockerels weighing over twenty-four ounces; 

 pullets weighing over twenty-two ounces; red ear-lobes; feathered legs; legs other than black 

 or deep leaden blue; combs other than rose; natural absence of spike; birds not matching in 

 the show-pen; crooked beaks; wry tails, or any other deformity.&quot; 



This little bird has a very upright, strutting carriage, his neck curving backward so as 

 to bring the head quite near the tail. The back is short, the breast round and quite promi 

 nent, and the body plump and well proportioned. The tail is quite full, with long sickle 

 feathers, which are carried well up towards the back of the head. The entire plumage is a 

 glossy black, with greenish reflections. The legs are black or dark leaden blue, and the beak 

 also black or nearly so. 



They breed quite true to color, and are among the best for laying qualities among the 

 Bantam race. The egg is large in size in proportion to the size of the bird, and peculiarly 

 delicate in flavor, the yolk being large in proportion to the white, and not as strong in flavor 

 as the eggs of larger breeds: they are said to be particularly prized by invalids. These 

 birds make very pretty pet?. The chicks are said to be rather delicate when about five or 

 six weeks old, owing to the rapid growth of feathers, being nearly in full plumage at three 

 months of age. Mr. E. Cambridge, an English breeder, says of them: &quot;They do not require 

 a large run, and will do well on a lawn or in a kitchen garden, the hen being cooped. A 

 farm-yard would be a ready-made grave-yard for them. Egg and bread-crumbs, and barley 

 or oat-meal is the best food for them at first; afterwards grits occasionally, which they are 

 very fond of. Any artificial or forcing food I consider bad for any fowl, but especially Bantams. 

 When about four months old I separate the cockerels and pullets. By this means several of 

 the former can be kept together, whereas, even at that early age, being very fussy and pug 

 nacious, they would fight and disfigure one another if left with the pullets.&quot; 



In selecting for stock-birds, it is very desirable that the most perfect specimens in all 

 respects should be taken for this purpose, since a single slight deformity or defect is quite 

 liable to be transmitted to the progeny. This is one of the oldest of the Bantam varieties, 

 and .has been greatly improved within a few years, by careful breeding. As they now breed 

 very true to color, and have attained the desired shape, carriage, and size, we can scarcely 

 perceive how any additional improvement in them could well be made. 



Rose-Combed White Bantams. This class of Bantams should be similar in general 

 respects to that just previously described, except the color of the plumage, which is pure 

 white throughout. The beak and legs, however, should be in color white or yellow, both 



