70 THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 



themselves, they will welcome the little strangers by 

 making raw head and bloody bones of them, before you 

 can return from fetching a pan of water to set before 

 the coop. Their own chickens are dark-brown when 

 first hatched, with no particular marks about them 

 whilst young. This is the variety figured by Moubray 

 as the " Bantam or pheasant fowls." 



The Black Bantam is a most beautiful example of a 

 great soul in a little body. It is most pugnacious of its 

 whole tribe. It will drive to a respectful distance great 

 dunghill cocks five times its weight. It is more jealous, 

 irascible, and domineering, in proportion to its size, than 

 the thorough-bred game cock himself. Its combative- 

 ness, too, is manifested at a very early period. Other 

 chickens will fight in sport, by the time they are half 

 grown, but these set to work in good earnest. 



The black Bantam, in his appearance, is a pleasing 

 little fellow. He should have a full rose comb, clean 

 and sinewy legs, glossy plumage with almost metallic 

 lustre, of a different tint to the glancing green of the 

 Spanish fowl, arched and flowing tail, waggish, impu- 

 dent eye, self-satisfied air and gait. 



The hens are of a duller jetty black, less knowing in 

 their manner, and, in every way, of inferior capacity. 

 They have great credit for fulfilling their maternal 

 duties well ; but they are found to be less affectionate 

 and careful than other Bantams. They are great stay- 

 ers at home, prowling very little about, and therefore are 

 desirable in many situations, such as suburban villas 

 that are surrounded by captious neighbors. They will 

 remain contented with the range of a moderate stable 

 yard, and the least bit of shrubbery ; and will do much 

 good by the consumption of numerous insects. They 

 are reputed good layers during winter ; but that will de- 

 pend on the liberality with which they are fed. Cooks 

 say that their eggs, though small, are " very rich," which 

 means, perhaps, that they contain a greater proportion 

 of yolk than those of larger fowls. Guinea fowls' eggs 

 are prized for the same quality ; and any one may, at 

 breakfast, observe how much less a proportion of white 



