246 



THE GAME FOWL. 



THE MEXICAN HEN-COCK GAME FOWL. 



THROUGH the politeness of Geo. P. Burnham, editor of the 

 t( American Union/' Boston, I am able to present to my read- 

 ers, portraits and descriptions of the Mexican Game Breed. 

 It will be observed that the sickle feathers, proper to the 

 Cock's tail, are absent in this variety. This arises, doubtless, 

 from close breeding, or rather breeding in-and-in, as it is 

 called. The neck and rump hackles are but indifferently de- 

 veloped. For confirmation of breeding in-and-in being the 

 cause of this, I refer the readers to what Mr. Walker says 

 concerning Sir John Sebright's Bantams, in his treatise on 

 Intermarriage. I have occasionally witnessed the same thing 



