FARM-YARD FOWLS. 



151 



conceived that, in such cases, the hard roots of 

 the feathers being drawn into a position more 

 nearly at right angles with the body than at or- 

 dinary times, the skin and superficial muscles 

 were thus subjected to an usual degree of pain- 

 ful irritation; and it immediately occurred to 

 him that the disagreeable habit in question was 

 simply a provision of nature for the relief of the 

 suffering birds. Impressed with this idea, he 

 tried the effect of artificial relief, by washing 

 with warm water, and the subsequent use of 

 pomatum to the skin. His experiment was suc- 

 cessful, and the birds' plumage has been ever 

 since untouched. 



"As might be supposed, when such a propen- 

 sity to devour the eggs exists in the male bird 

 the female is a secret layer. In this respect these 

 fowls show their identity with the original bird 

 of Java, the Bankiva cock, whose wildness of 

 disposition I have already mentioned. These 

 fowls are both good layers and good sitters." 



In corroboration of the foregoing propensity 

 a writer in the Poultry Book remarks : " The 

 opportunity was once afforded me of narrowly 

 watching the habits of a pair of Bankiva fowls, 

 originally from Java, but which their owner had 

 obtained from a dealer in Portugal. The male 

 in appearance closely assimilated to the Black- 

 breasted red Bantam, though in one peculiarity 

 differing greatly from that bird, his tail always, 

 whether quiescent or otherwise, carried almost 

 in a straight line with the back. The same was 

 the case with the female ; and, beyond their 

 somewhat lighter form, this appeared to be the 

 only distinguishable difference between her and 

 the hen of the domestic variety. These birds 

 were unfortunately extremely wild, and confine- 

 ment seemed to effect no change whatever on 

 their natural habits. The hen, indeed, laid a 

 few eggs, which were at once devoured by the 

 parents. In fact so unsociable and pugnacious 

 were they, that although attempts were made 

 again and again to cross them with the Black- 

 breasted red Bantams, death to the new-comers 

 invariably ensued. Even the hen killed a little 

 fellow of that variety when placed after night- 

 fall side by side on the roost with herself alone. 

 They would not fight during the presence of 

 any one, but the instant they saw the coast 



clear, they set-to most determinately, and, if not 

 overmatched in size, with invariable success. 

 Their end, however, was a melancholy one, for 

 a Game hen, placed with them, employed her 

 great strength in the destruction of both." 



THE NANKIN BANTAM. 



The Nankin Bantams appear to have been 

 among the earliest importations ; and about th<; 

 most useful of their tribe, and not the least onu; - 

 mental. Their clear plumage and active figuiv 

 will procure for them many admirers. Their 

 prevailing color is a pale orange or buff, some- 

 thing resembling the Nankeen (a corruption 

 of Nankin), a certain cotton material much in 

 vogue in this country some years ago for sum- 

 mer wear. The cocks are decked in red, orange, 

 and scarlet, mostly with the false speculum, cr 

 iridescent wing-coverts, altogether of a flashy 

 appearance ; and, indeed, when good specimens 

 of their kind, they are really beautiful little birds. 



The hen has usually some dark markings on 

 the hackle, and the tail is often tipped with 

 black ; both sexes have short, dark legs, and a 

 double comb. Many of these birds are said to 

 exhibit a strong resemblance to the correspond- 

 ing colors of the Buff Shanghais. Their eggs 

 are large in proportion to the size of the fowl, 

 very rounded and full at both ends, and of ex- 

 cellent flavor. The hens are steady sitters ami 

 excellent mothers. 



There is a browner variety of this bird which 

 is sometimes called the Partridge Bantam; such 

 are almost miniatures of the Golden Hambui g 

 fowls both penciled and spangled. There is the 

 same double comb pointed behind, the same 

 blue legs and characteristics of form and plu- 



mage. 



THE SEBRIGHT BANTAM. 



There are certainly very few, if there are any 

 varieties of poultry which, for beauty and gen- 

 eral appearance or conformation, are equal to tin 

 Sebright Bantam. The Cochin for weight and 

 quietness the Sebright for haughty carriage 

 and diminutive beauty. They are comparatively 

 non-injurious in the ornamental ground around 

 a villa; their plumage and markings justly en- 

 title them to the appellation given by the late 



