316 THE SMOOTH-LEGGED BANTAM. 



most scrupulous care. In London there are stated times foi 

 the exhibition and sale of these birds ; and Mr. Nolan tells us, 

 that " the regulations of the Society of London Amateurs, re- 

 quire that each exhibitor shall offer his birds for sale, after the 

 exhibition, and may bid himself, and put on a prohibitory 

 amount of purchase-money. It is on record that Sir John 

 bid up one of his diminutive Hens to 29, and bought her in 

 at that price. And it is recorded in the Illustrated London 

 News, of 20th February, 1847, that so late as that date, two 

 Hens and a Cock, of these beautiful emblems of pride and 

 consequence, sold for 50 and Is., being a shilling more than 

 the amount put on them by their owner. At the sale of the 

 late lamented baronet, the golden grounded birds averaged 

 5 a brace, and the silver spangled 8 a brace; although 

 they are becoming comparatively abundant, they still keep up 

 a high price in the London market, if well marked. There 

 has been lately offered here, some fine specimens, from Sir 

 John's own stock, at a very low figure. I do not think any 

 thing could exceed their perfection of feather. A lady near 

 Shrewsbury has procured some fine specimens, of both gold 

 and silver spangled, from this neighbourhood ; if she still re- 

 tain them, I think she may challenge England ; as far as I 

 can judge, they are quite superior to those that took the 

 prize in London. Some ladies in the Queen's County, have 

 procured fine specimens from the late baronet's stock; I have 

 no doubt, but under their fostering care, the breed will be 

 kept up with as much ardour as during the lifetime of the 

 great poultry-patron Sir John, and that we will be breeding 

 them, as in the baronet's lifetime, ' to a single feather/ and 

 retain their character of the l prettiest of domestic birds/ The 

 male birds should stand about twelve inches high ; the stand- 

 ard weight being twenty-two ounces ; the plumage as above 

 described, (the rose-comb is preferred) ; the wattles are mode- 

 rately long; face and throat bare ; no top-knot or ruff on neck; 



