GAME AND VARIOUS BANTAMS. 251 



short-legged, and most have very upright tails. Some are 

 cuckoo colour and feather-legged, but what is usually known 

 as the Japanese Bantam has short, clear legs, a white body, 

 and a very upright or squirrel tail, the sickles, or rather 

 scimitar feathers, being dense bronze black with a sharp 

 white edging. The combs are single and upright. This 

 variety is shown in the right-hand upper corner of the 

 plate. 



GAME BANTAMS. In Game Bantams the plumage is 

 precisely similar to the corresponding varieties of the Game 

 fowl, from which they were undoubtedly obtained by long 

 interbreeding, and continually selecting the smallest speci- 

 mens, occasionally, perhaps, crossing with a Bantam to 

 expedite the process. The carriage and form must also be 

 similar, and the drooping wing, so common in other 

 Bantams, would infallibly disqualify a pen of Game. 



In courage and " bottom " Game Bantams are not 

 behind their larger relatives. In constitution they are the 

 hardiest of all Bantam breeds. Black-reds, Duckwings, 

 Brown-reds, and Piles are all shown. At one time the 

 Black-reds were far the test, but the others are now fully 

 equal to them ; and in all the colours, the long legs and 

 stylish carriage are now attained as fully as in the larger 

 Game, there being no shortcoming in any respect. 



VARIETY BANTAMS. During late years, owing chiefly to 

 the skill of the late Mr. W. F. Entwisle, by crossing with 

 existing Bantams and breeding size down, almost all the 

 larger breeds of poultry have been reproduced in Bantam 

 form. The proper standard of size, Mr. Entwisle con- 

 sidered, was one-fifth the weight of the original breed, 

 We can only give a list of the breeds and varieties which 

 have been thus produced. In addition to the foregoing, 



