THE SMOOTH-LEGGED BANTAM. 325 



selected for them to pass their chickenhood in. When full 

 grown and plumed, they are not more tender than other Poul- 

 try, though they are better suited for confinement in wards. 



Those who keep any other variety of Domestic Fowl, and 

 are desirous of having plenty of Chickens, as well as Eggs, 

 had better not permit a Black Bantam Cock to enter upon their 

 premises. 



THE WHITE BANTAM very much resembles the above, in 

 every respect, except colour : the rose comb may, perhaps, in 

 some specimens, be a little more exuberant. But they are not 

 much to be coveted. The white of their plumage is not bril- 

 liant, tind is sure to be un-neat in the places where they are 

 usually kept. Were they really guilty of the savage, object- 

 less, and unnatural ferocity that is attributed to them, they 

 would all deserve to have their necks wrung ; but the tale 

 wants confirmation. The " Illustrated News," for Feb. 20th, 

 1847, gives some particulars. 



THE FEATHER-LEGGED BANTAMS, are now as completely 

 out of vogue, as they were formerly in esteem. We ought, 

 perhaps, to have referred them to the anomalous Fowls. The 

 chief interest attached to them, lies in their hinting to the na- 

 turalist an affinity with the Grouse tribe. There were several 

 sorts of them in repute, but they are now nearly extinct in this 

 country. See Albin, vol. III., p. 32. 



CREEPERS, so called from the shortness of their legs, and 

 JUMPERS, from their halting gait, are rather to be considered 

 as accidental deformities collected from unhealthy families of 

 Bantams, than as constituting any distinct variety. A suffi- 

 cient proof of which is, that many of them are scarcely able 

 to propagate their kind. "The Bantam I spoke of as living so 

 long (seventeen years) was of the Feather-legged sort, spotted 

 cream and white, laying merrily as ever to the last; but no* 

 having warmth sufficient to hatch, I always made her a present 

 every year of a few little Chicks." H. H. Some of these are 



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