THE PHEASANT-MALAY FOWL. 177 



while their Eggs are a third smaller. Baker, of London and 

 Chelsea, (one of the best fancy dealers,) told me that they 

 were a breed from Calcutta. They are certainly tender, and 

 are apt to die in moulting ; but the Hens, in my opinion, are 

 unrivalled in beauty, while the Cock is a fine bird, though not 

 so uncommon in appearance, except to an experienced eye, 

 which will detect peculiarity of growth. 



" If you do not know the Pheasant-Malays, (which is merely 

 a market name,) I will send you with pleasure a Pullet and a 

 late Cockerel. I am sorry that I cannot send an earlier Cock 

 bird, as I apprehend that now sent will not attain average 

 size. The plumage of the Pullet promises well. The Hens 

 have scarcely any comb. The Cocks always have a comb ex- 

 tending but a very little way backward, but standing up so 

 high as always to fall a little over on one side. I have never 

 seen any variation as to the combs or the colour of the neck 

 and tail-feathers, either of males or females, which indicates 

 them to be a real variety. The only variation I have observed 

 is in the body-colour of the Hens, and this not in the mark- 

 ing, but merely in the ground colour, which is sometimes paler 

 and duller than is the case with the Pullet I send. I would 

 most cheerfully enclose some Eggs, but I have none, as they 

 very rarely lay in winter. The Eggs are quite small, but of 

 excellent flavour, neither very white nor brown; the shape 

 varies considerably. The Chicks are of a yellowish colour, 

 with sometimes two brown stripes down the back ahd a few 

 specks about the head, but more usually without either. They 

 have, however, invariably the hinder part of the back of an 

 intenser or browner yellow, almost amounting to a warm 

 fawn-colour. I think that the Chicks should not be hatched 

 before May." 



The birds thus kindly offered were thankfully accepted; 

 and, after a railway journey of more than two hundred and 

 fifty miles, stepped out of their hamper uncramped, uninjured, 



