18 MALAY INDIAN, &C. 



riety, is, as a contrast to the Bantam, probably the 

 largest of the gallinaceous tribe. They are in 

 colour, striated yellow and dark brown, long-necked, 

 serpent-headed, and high upon the leg ; their flesh 

 dark, coarse, and chiefly adapted to soup. They 

 are good layers, and being well fed, produce the 

 largest of hens' eggs, and of the most substantial 

 nutriment. Being too long legged, they are not, 

 generally, steady setters. 



Button introduces several foreign varieties, of 

 which I have no practical knowledge the HAM- 

 BURGH COCK, the WONDERFUL INDIAN COCK, and the 

 MUSCOVITE BLACK GAME HEN. I have heard of a 

 WEST INDIA breed which are everlasting layers. 

 The wonderful Indian cock is described as a bird 

 of most beautiful plumage, consisting of the follow- 

 ing five colours black, white, green, red, and blue. 

 The back part of the head has a sort of fleshy 

 substance, of pyramidal figure, scaly, and of a blood- 

 red colour: the bill thick and strong, and the breast 

 mottled beautifully with red and green. The tail 

 consists of twelve large flaming feathers, resembling 

 those of a peacock. The comb upon the head is 

 double, with a single wattle hanging beneath the 

 lower mandible, an inch and a half long; the beak 

 and legs yellow. It is a wild fowl, but easily do- 

 mesticated. Nothing is said of the quality of its 

 flesh. 



Shackbags. 



Formerly the largest variety, but in all probability 

 it has been entirely worn out for some years. It 

 was called the Duke of Leeds' breed, his grace, 



