[82 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



Minorca, though both parents are long-legged, the result is 

 usually a moderately-legged bird of peculiar beauty in the 

 plumage, good for the table, and, if a hen, a good sitter and 

 mother. They have also been extensively crossed with the 

 English Game fowl, in order to increase the strength, stature, 

 ferocity, and hardness of feather. 



The great drawback of Malays is their abominably 

 quarrelsome disposition, which becomes worse the more 

 they are confined. The hens are also inferior as layers to 

 most other breeds ; and on these accounts the pure strain is 

 not adapted to general use, though useful in giving weight 

 and good " wings " to other varieties of fowl. 



ASEELS AND INDIAN GAME. 



The only originally pure strain of Indian Game is now 

 called the Aseel, to distinguish it from the following, and was 

 introduced into England by Mr. Montressor. This variety 

 has some general resemblance to the Malay, possessing a 

 carriage which slopes downwards to the low-carried tail, 

 broad and prominent shoulders, eyebrows considerably 

 overhanging, and a smallish pea-comb. The shoulders are, 

 however, rounder than the Malay's, the body much more 

 compact and low on the leg, and the legs stouter in pro- 

 portion. This breed is of the most indomitable courage, 

 and so quarrelsome that it is very difficult to rear the 

 chickens. In Bengal these birds are much esteemed for 

 fighting, showing both pluck and endurance, and a 

 champion has been known to change hands for as much 

 as ;6o. The hen is a very poor layer, and, as even two 

 hens with one cock often quarrel, it will be understood 

 that the Aseel is not very generally kept. It is, perhaps, 

 most remarkable of all known for symmetry and hard- 

 ness of pure muscle, and feels heavier in hand for the 

 apparent size than any other. Hence it comes out very 



