BANTAMS.] 



POULTRY. 



[BA5TTAMS. 



eo-gs; but I only overreached myself. The 

 hie hea was too heavy and clumsy to officiate 

 as nurse to such fragile atoms." 



The Creeper is also a small variety of 

 Bantam, with very short legs. In addition to 

 these diminutive races, there is another, the 

 Jumper, mentioned by Buflbn, as being so 

 short-le^yged, that they are compelled to pro- 

 o-ress by jumps. They are prolific, as well as 

 excellent sitters, the hen having been known 

 to batch two batches of eggs in succession, 

 without even an intermediate day of rest. 

 These dwarf fowls were described by Aldro- 

 vandi, more than two hundred years ago ; and 

 also, much further back, by Pliny, under the 

 designation of the Adrian breed. 



A gentleman of known experience suggests 

 the following points for a basis : — 



Sebright Bantams. 



The Cock. 



S'ead. — Best helmet comb ; best, fullest, and clearest 



black eyes. — The ears, best, largest, and clearest 



vhite. 

 ]Sfeck.—B.Ack\es, shortest and clearest red, and best, 



laced with black. 

 Breast. — Clearest and best red, and laced with 



largest and clearest black. 

 Bach— Ditto. 

 Winrjs. — Ditto. 

 Saddle. — Ditto. 

 Tail. — Hen-tailed, most erect, clearest and best, 



red ; the two longest tipped with best and 



clearest black ; the other feathers best, laced with 



black. 

 ie(/s.— Clearest and best blue. 



The Hens to Match. 



General Appearance. — The smallest, _ most sym- 

 metrical, and best-feathered birds. 



Silver Sebright Bantams. 



Characteristics the same, on clearest and best white 

 ground. 



Indian Bantams. — {Glean Legged). 

 The Cock. 



Eead. — ^The comb, best double, best square, best 

 spiked behind. — ^The eyes, brilliant orange. — The 

 ears, roundest and clearest while. 



Neck. — Hackles, best, fullest, and clearest golden 

 red. 



Back. — Best and richest golden marone. 



Saddle. — Ditto. 



Tail. — Best carried, fullest, and best glossy green 

 black. 



Breast. — Clearest and best reddish fawn colour. 



Legs. — Best and clearest olive, or best and clearest 

 yellow. 



Wings. — Shoulder, best ana richest marone ; flight- 

 feathers, best and clearest bay. 



S38 



The Hen. 



Head. — The comb, best double, best square, best 



spiked behind. — The eyes, brilliant orange. — The 



ears, roundest and clearest white. 

 Neck. — Hackles, best and clearest brown in middle, 



edged with golden ; shaft, straw colour. 

 Breast. — Clearest and best fawn colour. 

 Back- — Clearest and best brown, and clearest and 



best straw-coloured shaft. 

 Tail. — Ditto. 

 Legs. — Clearest olive, or clearest yellow. 



In reference to the name of a species of 

 Bantam, formerly called the Calcutta Jungle 

 fowl, several amateurs have written their 

 opinions, and suggested what they deem more 

 appropriate designations. One says — " It has 

 been hinted, that it would be better to name 

 these birds, lately imported from Calcutta, 

 Indian Feather-legged Bantams. The owner 

 considered it better to let them keep the name 

 under which they were purchased at Calcutta, 

 until some certain intelligence respecting their 

 origin should make a change advisable. AVhen 

 new fowls have been imported, the owners have 

 often appeared to seek a well-sounding name, 

 rather than one which should continually point 

 to their origin. If the last rule bad been ob- 

 served, the nomenclature of fowls would be 

 less puzzling than it is in many instances. 

 The little fowls in question were called Jungle 

 fowls ; but it seemed likely they had been 

 domesticated, as, although very wild, they 

 were not sufficiently so for wild fowls. They 

 came over in the Lady Jocelyn screw-steamer, 

 where a lady passenger kindly took them in 

 charge, and fed and noticed them after every 

 meal during the passage. Calcutta Bantams 

 would be a better name for them than the 

 above." 



Another says — " The little fowls which won 

 prizes at Birmingham and Colchester, and en- 

 tered under the title of Calcutta Jungle fowl, 

 were bought at Calcutta as Jungle fowl, and 

 have some similarity in the head to the Bankiva, 

 being for a long time very wild. These are 

 the circumstances which attached to them the — 

 probably inappropriate — name of Junrjle Ban- 

 tams. Tar from having lost the sickle feathers 

 and hackle, like the Sebright, their furnishing 

 is quite ridiculous for their size. The hackle 

 of the old bird is bushy, and long enough to 

 reach the ground when he feeds ; and the tail 

 so well furnished with sickle feathers, that, in 



