BANTAM FOWLS. 169 



The Booted, or Feather-legged Bantam, should not escape our 

 notice. They are of all colors ; those with the greatest quantity of 

 feathers on the legs, are usually spotted, red, black, and -white. I 

 have seen them with feathers three inches long on their legs, BO as to 

 impede their walking. They are becoming scarce, arid even promise, 

 if not rescued, to become extinct ; the objection of the fanciers is, 

 that their boots, getting damp, are apt to addle the eggs put under 

 them for incubation. They, however, have their advantages, as they 

 seldom do an injury by scratching, and are frequently kept as orna- 

 mental pets about a garden. 



BLACK SPANISH AND BANTAM COCKS. 



The above are portraits of fowls owned by Mr. Edward 

 Aborn, Providence, R. I. He has coupled the two breeds in 

 the cut, and the description must consequently follow for both 

 here. He writes me : 



The above cuts represent my Black Spanish and Black Bantam 

 cocks. 



The Black Spanish is one of the very best fowls we have, either for 

 laying, or for their table qualities. The comb of the cock of thia 

 breed is very large, deeply serrated, and of a bright scarlet ; the wat- 

 tles long, which, with the large white ear lobes, or cheek pieces, 

 afford a beautiful contrast with their glossy, black plumage. 9 



The legs of the pure Black Spanish are always blue. The comb of 

 the hen, instead of being erect like the cock's, falls over one side, and 

 the white cheek pieces are not so large. They are layers of the first 

 order, laying quite large white eggs, two being equal in weight to 

 three Shanghae eggs. They are seldom, if ever, inclined to set 



The Black Bantam cock is a proud little fellow, bearing a strong 

 8 



