THE SMOOTH-LEGGED BANTAM. 319 



whether any of the meaner sort of People may see her in that 

 progress I know not ; for it is the custom of most Eastern 

 Princes to screen themselves from the sight of their Subjects : 

 Or if they sometimes go abroad for their pleasure, yet the 

 People are then ordered either to turn their backs towards 

 them while they pass by, as formerly at Bantam, or to hold 

 their hands before their eyes, as at Siam." Idem. p. 142. 



Our little friends the Bantams clearly show where they come 

 from. Their passionate temper arises from the superabundance 

 of pepper, their diminutive stature from the Javanese practice 

 of foreshortening, their turgid comb from the succulent 

 Pumple-noses, their overweening assumption and arrogance 

 from the excitement of the herb Bang, and their propensity 

 to make every rival turn tail, from the established court eti- 

 quette of the old Bantam regime. 



THE YELLOW OR NANKEEN BANTAMS are about the most 

 useful of their tribe, and not the least ornamental. The Hens 

 are mainly tinted with a ginger-yellow, and have dull blue 

 legs and feet, and small comb. There is a sub-variety, in 

 which they are more brown, after the fashion of some Game 

 Hens. The Cocks are decked in red, orange, and scarlet, 

 mostly with the false speculum of iridescent wing-coverts, 

 altogether of a flashy appearance ; and, indeed, when good 

 specimens of their kind, are really beautiful little birds. Of 

 late years they have much gone out of fashion, but deserve to 

 be rescued from utter extermination. Their Eggs are large 

 in proportion to the size of the layer, very rounded and full at 

 both ends. They are excellent mothers, particularly for such 

 delicate things as Partridges, Pheasants, and Guinea Fowls. 

 One Hen, however, that we have, prevents this use being made 

 of her powers, by invariably stealing a nest, though at other 

 times she roosts in the fowl-house, with the rest of the Poul- 

 try. She is usually very successful in her efforts, only we now 

 and then have Chickens at unseasonable times of the year. 



