FARM-YARD FOWLS. 



H9 



THE BLACK BANTAM. 



firm and fearless, I found that this latter had 

 both its eyes closed from wounds received the 

 day before. I carried it to my dressing-room, 

 to relieve it by sponging, and set it down, while 

 I went to fetch some warm water. Still blind, it 

 began crowing lustily. In a few minutes its 

 eyes were unsealed, and it was returned to the 

 yard. But battle after battle was immediately 

 fought, and we were obliged to eat one of the 

 combatants to prevent the mutilation of both. 

 One that I have seen was in the constant habit 

 of righting, or rather sparring, with a little span- 

 iel dog that belonged to the same owner. Though 

 apparently attacking each other with great fury, 

 they never seemed to be in real earnest. The 

 arrival of strangers was generally the signal for 

 a sham fight, which ended without bloodshed 

 us soon as one or both of the combatants was 

 out of breath. The spaniel was generally the 

 first to give in, when the victor evinced as 

 much triumph as if he had vanquished a feath- 

 ered foe." 



The cock which our cut represents has a full 

 crimson rose-comb, similar to that of the Ham- 

 burg fowl, with wattles and face of the same 



hue, and the ear-lobes, like the Spanish, per- 

 fectly white ; his plumage is glossy black, reflect- 

 ing purple tints with brass-colored spots on his 

 back, which, however, is not common ; tail am- 

 ple, flowing, and sickled ; short sinewy clean 

 legs of a dark color. He has a waggish, impu- 

 dent eye, self-satisfied air and gait. The hen 

 is dusky black, with her comb and wattles small, 

 and of a dull leaden hue. 



The Black Bantams vary greatly in size, though 

 occasionally we have found some of the small- 

 est specimens of the whole family. We lately 

 saw quite a number of these Liliputian fowls in 

 the yard of M. Vassar, Esq., at " Springside," 

 his beautiful residence near Poughkeepsie, some 

 of which, even the cocks, we should judge would 

 not reach one pound in their feathers. Divest 

 them of their sickle-feathers and they would 

 pass for fan-tail pigeons. It was amusing to see 

 what consequential airs they assumed, the little 

 whipper-snappers. 



In respect to determined courage, the African 

 Bantam will yield to none no matter the foe. 

 even a turkey-cock, to whom they are opposed, 

 or the cause of contention, they fight to the 



