GAME FOWLS. 127 



The magnificent fowls which are portrayed in this cut, and which 

 are at my place of residence Fort des Moines, Iowa were imported 

 from Malacca, India, by Capt. Palmer. This stock was selected, per- 

 sonally, by a friend of mine, and the likenesses at the head of this 

 article, are accurate and life-like. 



No Game fowl ever viewed from the plaza de gallos, can equal the 

 Malacca Games for SIZE and POWER; and as to prowess and beauty, none 

 excel them. This bird is the "Magnus Apollo" of the Game race. It 

 is very seldom that a cock of any other breed of Games, can stand 

 before a ken of the Malacca Games. I lately imported some Games 

 from England, relative to which, the person who selected them, says : 

 "The Games I send are from the best blood in England, and it is a 

 great favor to obtain them, as he will not sell them to any one in this 

 country." I also imported from Londonderry, some Irish Games, 

 relative to which the person who made the selection, writes : "I have 

 purchased you some of the best Irish Games in the world, as I think." 

 Now both these English and Irish Games were whipped by the Malacca 

 hens, and it was with great difficulty that my best Sumatra Game 

 cocks could master them, after half an hour hard fighting. I am fully 

 satisfied that there are no Game fowls equal to the Malaccas, for the 

 pit. They are what cockers call " Dead Game," and their great size 

 gives them a decided advantage over any other breed of Games. 



They will answer to the following description : Head, broad, but 

 small, comparatively ; eyes, rather large, with a red iris, and black 

 pupil; comb, almost invariably what is called a pea-comb; wattles, 

 small ; hackles, of the neck and loins, long and brilliant ; tail, very 

 long and flowing, with abundant plume and sickle feathers, sweeping 

 the ground, though not so horizontal as the Sumatra or Java Games ; 

 body, well proportioned, compact, and symmetrical ; color, dark 

 bronze, or mahogany, and as brilliant as the Sumatra Games ; legs, 

 dark, and sinewy. Nothing can equal the Malaccas in the richness 

 and lustre of their plumage, except the Sumatras. 



The Malacca Game cocks weigh from seven to nine and a half 

 pounds, each ; and the hens from five and a half to six and a half 

 pounds, each. 



They are excellent layers, and their flesh is fine and succulent ; and 

 in fact, there is no fowl of their weight, the flesh of which is as savory. 

 For table use, therefore, they are unsurpassed. 



My southern and eastern friends, who desire to see these fowls, can 

 do so by calling on A. Verloin de Gruy, Esq., of New Orleans, La., 

 Jas. McClintock, M. IX, Phila., and T. B. Miner, Esq., of Clinton, N. 

 Y., whom I shall supply at my earliest convenience. 



JOHN C. BENNETT. 



Fort des Moines, Iowa. 



