THE PHEASANT- MALAY FOWL. 179 



those that are hatched earlier. The Chickens of this breed 

 are very small at first, and but scantily supplied with down. 

 As they begin to grow, they have a very naked appearance, 

 from the slow development of their feathers, and this renders 

 them very susceptible of cold. At six weeks old they are not 

 above half the size of Dorkings of the same age, but after 

 two months they grow very fast, and the Pullets feather well 

 and show indications of their permanent colour. The Cocks 

 are ragged in appearance until five months old, after which 

 they get their permanent plumage, and grow fast. As a 

 sort of profitable growth, I cannot recommend them, but 

 the ornamental figure and colour of the Hens, I think, is 

 beyond question. The flesh, at table, is extremely good and 

 white ' } and they lay abundantly, though late. I have a 

 strong suspicion, from various peculiarities, that they are of 

 comparatively recent introduction into this country, from a 

 much warmer climate. 



" I once attempted to describe to you an oval abortion : I 

 have since found a second, in which the similarity was com- 

 plete. The upper Egg, which was concealed within the other, 

 below the unclosed orifice left at the egg-stalk, was conjested 

 with blood in both cases, while the lower egg or yolk (there 

 being two in each case within the shell) was quite natural. 

 A fortnight after I found the latter abortion, I looked into 

 the same nest, and saw there one of my Pheasant -Malay Pul- 

 lets of last year. On looking closely at her, I saw she was 

 dead; and on opening her, another of these abortions was 

 seen, accompanied by general congestion of the ovarium and 

 a vast quantity of internal fat, which I find these birds very 

 much disposed to take on." 



It is a common opinion among country-people, that mis- 

 shapen Eggs care caused by the Hens that lay them being too 

 fat. It certainly does often happen that an over-fat Hen lays 

 deformed Eggs, but I believe that the cause has been mis- 



