2 74 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



" I quite agree with all that Mr. Brooke has said about the white feathers in tail and wing of the 

 Black-breasted Reds ; they are very objectionable, and are very likely to be transmitted to their 

 offspring. As regards the combs, my only objection to their smallness is that the small-combed 

 cocks are very likely to ihvow pea-combed chickens. This is certainly a very objectionable point, yet 

 I have seen one of our best judges highly commend such birds. I have also known a single-combed 

 hen awarded two prizes as a pullet. Both these faults in the comb are, or should be, disqualifica- 

 tions ; both of them, I belie\4e, come from narrow-combed birds. 



" Malays are exceedingly pugnacious ; their cruel expression is really an index of their 

 disposition. The hens especially fight vigorously, and the addition of a new bird to a yard is the 

 signal for a 'free fight' all round. They should never be exhibited in pairs; one is morally 

 certain to be scalped. 



" They sit well, but are dangerous mothers ; I have known one call her chickens and 

 deliberately pluck out their feathers. To place two coops near together is certain death to some 

 of the chickens ; they have no mercy on a stranger. Yet I had one instance this year in a Polish 

 chick, a fortnight older than the rest of the brood, that I wanted to give to a fresh mother. The hen 

 took to all except the Poland ; yet, after being well-nigh scalped, by dint of perseverance, watching 

 its opportunity and darting behind the mother to sleep, this chicken contrived to ingratiate itself 

 into her affections, and at six weeks old was received on the footing of a daughter. 



" Last year I saw some birds brought from India by a friend. These birds he called Game, but 

 in many respects they more resembled Malays. The cock's comb and gills appeared to have been 

 cut ; the shoulders were very prominent, and of extraordinary breadth for the size of the bird; the 

 weight probably under six pounds, but the size and hardness of thighs something marvellous. The 

 thickness of the neck was also another marked point ; the hackle was scanty, and the tail drooping ; 

 whilst the general carriage was very Malay. The hens were even more Malay in character than 

 the cocks, and the combs appeared warty. Of these birds my friend was remarkably proud. No 

 strain could stand against them in fighting in India, and he had been offered fabulous sums for 

 them. The hardness of these birds was something quite out of the common, and he tells me the 

 same bird has fought four days following. The method of fighting there is a test of pluck and 

 endurance, for they cut off the spur and bind tape over it, so that the battle is lengthened out ; yet, 

 he says, these birds would fight day after day for the time I have stated. I cannot but think that 

 this strain is a mixture of English Game and Malay." 



The following additional notes by Mr. Hewitt are particularly valuable as contrasting the 

 modern Malay with the breed as formerly known. His remarks on the hard and iiarrozv feather 

 of older days will be especially noticed. 



" I much regret to see the universal falling off in size and general cliaracteristics that has 

 taken place in Malays during the last forty years. I think it may probably be fairly attributed to 

 so very little encouragement being now given to this breed by the committees of poultry-shows, 

 from the fact that the entries in this class rarely pay even a half of their expenses and prize- 

 money. That few birds are more useful as a 'cross' to produce' a first-rate table fowl, the 

 experience of many other individuals as well as my own will fully attest ; but I imagine their, at 

 first sight, strangely gaunt appearance to unpractised eyes has prevented Malay fowls having 

 as fair a claim on popularity as they really deserve. No breed can be more distinct from all 

 others in gait, plumage, or habit ; and I believe the furore for Cochins some years back tended 

 much to the displacement of Malays in districts where they formerly were by no means unusual. 



" Taking a retrospect of the Malays, as they existed before poultry-shows were so common, it 

 appears that the strong elastic feather, so hard and metallic, yet so scanty, and the extreme length 



