164 THE MALAY FOWL. 



glossy blackish-green, with high reflections : the deep chestnut 

 of the base of the feathers appears occasionally, and gives a 

 mottled and interrupted appearance to those parts." (Jardine 

 principally.) 



Here is a description of some Malay Fowl supplied by 

 Messrs. Baker : 



Malay Cock. Height twenty-seven inches and a half. 

 Comb small, double, hanging over on one side in front, and ex- 

 tended in a line backwards. Bill yellowish, feet and legs de- 

 cided yellow; hackle greyish-yellow ; breast, belly, and 'thighs 

 black; back and shoulders rich brown ; wing-coverts iridescent 

 black ; quill feathers the same, but having half of the outer 

 web on one side of the quill mottled with white ; wattles almost 

 absent ; tail iridescent black ; stature lofty ; voice particularly 

 sonorous, and somewhat hoarse. 



Malay Hen. Comb very small, but face much covered with 

 red skin. Bill, legs, and feet yellow ; head, neck, back, tail, 

 and quills of a rich brown ; the lower parts and thighs of a 

 lighter hue ; neck long ; stature and carriage lofty ; head small 

 in proportion to the size of the bird. 



It may be suspected that Malays are underrated in impor- 

 tance by Poultry-keepers, as much as they are overrated by na- 

 turalists. The common prejudice condemns their flesh as 

 coarse, stringy, oily, and ill-flavoured. But it is a question 

 whether many of those who pronounce this unfavourable judg- 

 ment have ever dined off so costly a dish as roast Malay Fowl. 

 First-rate Malays are exceedingly dear in London. - I have 

 heard of as much as 51. being asked for a superior Cock; but, 

 then, he was to be "as big as a Donkey." It is odd, too, that 

 what is so faulty in an unmixed state, should be highly recom- 

 mended as a first cross. The yellowness of their skin may be 

 displeasing to the eye of a purchaser ; but many of the finest- 

 flavoured Game Fowls have this quality, and both Pheasants 



