GAME FOWLS. 121 



sidcration. Brilliant in plumage, elegant in figure, active, powerful 

 and courageous, it is no wonder that for some hundreds of years they 

 have found patrons among all orders of men, from the prince to the 

 pickpocket. The ' Artful Dodger ' who shares his garret with a 

 favorite fighting cock, is not more proud or careful of him, than Prince 

 Albert of his pet bird, that picks gilt oats out of a golden hopper. 



"As well to the cook as the cock-fighter, do these fine fowls offer 

 inducements. In the whole genus ' gallus,' there is no variety so 

 well formed, so full-breasted, and so finely fleshed. So remarkable are 

 they for symmetry and close-grained muscle, that a Game cock of four 

 or five pounds weight, can strike a much harder blow than a Chittagong 

 or Shanghae of ten or twelve pounds. I have turned my back on a 

 contest of this kind, and could tell when the Game-cock struck, by the 

 severity, as well as the quick repeated frequency of the blows." 



The following is from the Secretary of the " South Carolina 

 Poultry Society : 



CHARLESTON, S. C., 6th Sept. 1851. 



Dear Sir, On your request of a few brief facts in regard to any 

 valuable breeds of fowls in my possession, with my opinion of their 

 merits, I will first commence with the Game fowl, which is considered 

 by every one to be the most symmetrical, with their various hues of 

 plumage, the most beautiful and brilliant of all the gallinaceous tribe. 

 I have several varieties of this breed, but in my opinion the Sumatra 

 excels them all in brilliancy of plumage, and in symmetry cannot be 

 surpassed. They have a very peculiar, majestic gait, and when seen 

 tipping along, they look as if they were swung upon springs. They 

 are the handsomest fowls I have ever seen. The hen in my possession 

 is very tame, and of a very good disposition ; a good layer and sitter, 

 and one of the best of mothers, having already raised this season two 

 broods of eleven chicks each, and all of them are remarkably healthy, 

 not having lost one, as yet, by disease. From the first brood, now four 

 and a half months old, I have seven pullets, and four cockerels, one 

 of which is selected to breed from, on account of his beautiful plumage 

 and fine form, his breast and lower extremities being of a beautiful 

 shining black, with black bill, and legs of a greenish yellow ; neck 

 and rump hackles of a dark, shining green, with golden-colored mar- 

 gins, the upper convex side of the wing, being of a very dark red, 

 approaching to purple ; also marginated with bright golden yellow tail 

 feathers, black, with clear, dark green plumes, very long, almost 

 hiding the tail. The pullet selected for him, is in proportion equally 

 beautiful, every feather being marginated, but not of so bright a color. 



With regard to the fighting qualities of this variety, I know noth- 

 ing farther than what the gentleman says who imported the progeni- 

 tors of this stock. 



In April, 1847, he imported a cock and two hens, direct from 

 Anger's Point, Island of Sumatra, India. They are from wild stock, 

 and the natives call them Pheasants, and are very choice of those 

 they capture and breed. They get them very domestic, and keep 

 them almost exclusively for fighting. He has never known them, 

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