2 1 JJnntams. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



BANTAMS. 



OF this breed one kind is Game, and resembles the Game 

 fowl, except in size ; another is feathered to the very toes, 

 the feathers on the tarsi, or beam of the leg, being long 

 and stiff, and often brushing the ground. They are pecu- 

 liarly fancy fowls. There are several varieties, the White, 

 Black, Nankin, Partridge, Booted or Feather-legged, Game, 

 and the Golden-laced and Silver-laced, or Sebright Bantam. 

 All should be very small, varying from fourteen to twenty 

 ounces in the hen, and from sixteen to twenty-four in the 

 cock. The head should be narrow ; beak curved ; forehead 

 rounded ; eyes bright ; back short ; body round and full ; 

 breast very prominent ; legs short and clean, except in the 

 Booted variety ; wings depressed ; and the carriage un- 

 usually erect, the back of the neck and the tail feathers 

 almost touching; and the whole bearing graceful, bold, 

 and proud. 



"The Javanese jungle-fowl" (Gallus Banldva), says Mr. 

 W. C. L. Martin, " the Ayam-utan of the Malays, is a 

 native of Java ; but either a variety or a distinct species of 

 larger size, yet very similar in colouring, is found in con- 

 tinental India. The Javanese, or Bankiva jungle-fowl, is 

 about the size of an ordinary Bantam, and in plumage 

 resembles the black-breasted red Game-bird of our country, 

 with a steel-blue mark across the wings. The comb is 

 high, its edge is deeply serrated, and the wattles are rather 

 large. The hackle feathers of the neck and rump are long 

 and of a glossy golden orange ; the shoulders are chestnut 

 red, the greater wing-coverts deep steel-blue, the quill 

 feathers brownish black, edged with pale, reddish yellow, 

 or sandy red. The tail is of a black colour, with metallic 

 reflections of green and blue. The under parts are black 



