250 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



pale orange yellow, usually with a little pencilling on the 

 hackle. The best tail, to our fancy, is a pure black, with 

 the coverts slightly bronzed. The comb is rose ; and the 

 dark legs should be perfectly clean. 



CUCKOO. These Bantams should be miniature Scotch 

 Greys. A strain also exists which, like these in other 

 respects, has a rose comb, 



PEKIN OR COCHIN BANTAMS. This most remarkable of 

 all Bantam breeds was first introduced in 1860, the original 

 progenitors having been stolen from the Summer Palace at 

 Pekin during the Chinese war. They were first shown in 

 1863. They exactly resemble Buff Cochins in colour and 

 form, possessing the feathered leg, abundant fluff, and all 

 the other characteristics of the parent breed in full per- 

 fection, and presenting a most singular appearance. This 

 strain, however, became practically extinct. The importa- 

 tions were very few, and several even of these died, the 

 breed being delicate ; and the owner of what was the chief 

 stock for many years, seemed to care more for having some- 

 thing which no one else had, than for saving the breed, 

 which might have been done by spreading it amongst a few 

 other hands. Further birds were, however, imported in 

 1884, and by crossing these with the few left, and with 

 other feather-legged varieties, this quaint breed was resusci- 

 tated, and is now well spread. Blacks and Whites are also 

 bred of fine quality, as well as the original buffs ; and of 

 late, thanks to the efforts of the late Mr. W. F. Entwisle, 

 Partridge Cochin Bantams have been added to the list, 

 being, however, as yet rather large. 



JAPANESE. Several strains of Bantams have been 

 imported from Japan. ^11 agree * n being exceedingly 



