2 78 



The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



toes long and straight, but not very thick, with very large and strong talons ; back toe to lie flat and well to the ground. Tail — 

 Moderate in length, carried close and rather drooping ; the sickles sound and glossy, and not much curved. 52'0C— Should be large, 

 but at present is barely moderate, ranging from seven to nine pounds in cocks. General Appearance. — Long, thin, tall, and gaunt, 

 but with extraordinary hardness and gloss of plumage. Carriage — Very high and upstanding in front, drooping behind. 



General Characteristics of Hen. — In all respects similar to those of the cock, except that the tail is not carried quite 

 so low, but slightly above the horizontal line, and well " played," as if flexible at the joint, or insertion. Size — Usually rather under 

 moderate, averaging six pounds. General Appearance and Carriage — Resembling those of the cock. 



Colour of Black-red Malays. — In both Sexes — Beak yellow, or yelljw striped with horn. Comb, face, deaf-ears, wattles, 

 and throat brilliant red, sometimes of a darkish hue. Eyes pearl, yellow, or daw ; usually pearl with a yellow ground. Shanks a 

 brilliant yellow. Colour of Cock — Breast and under parts glossy black. Hackle, saddle, back, wing-bow, &c., glossy dark red, 

 varying to reddish maroon ; a glossy black bar across the wing, and secondaries reddish or rich bay. Flights usually black on 

 inside web, and bay or red, or a narrow edging of either colour, on outside. Tail black, glossed with green. The whole resembling 

 the darker Black-red Game cock. Colour of Hen — No absolute standard, but usually a tolerably uniform shade of reddish brown 

 or cinnamon, sometimes wetted cinnamon, and not unfrcquently partridge marked ; the last to be preferred, as nearer the Black-red 

 type. Hackle darker, generally a rich dark purplish brown, or brown striped with black. 



Colour of Brown-red Malays. — Comb, face, shanks, &c., as in Elack-reds. General plumage of cock any good 

 resemblance to Brown-red or Ginger-breasted Game type. Colour of hen very dark, or almost black. 



Colour of White, Black, and Pile Malays. — Black and White need no description. In Piles, the cock should have 

 hackle red or reddish brown, saddle-feathers ditto, wing-bow reddish brown, secondaries bay, coverts or wing-bar white, just 

 touched with colour, and breast white, or slightly marbled ; tail white — in fact, resembling Pile Game. Hen white marbled, 

 with reddish brown, as near to the Game standard as possible. In Pile and White Malays alone, a willowish tinge in the 

 yellow of the shanks is permissible, but rather objectionable. 



Standard of Perfeetioit. 

 A bird ideally perfect in shape, size, colour, head and 

 comb, peculiar Malay characters, gloss and hard- 

 ness of plumage, and in perfect health and con- 

 dition, to count 



VALUE OF DEFECTS IN JUDGING. 



Difccts to be Deducted. 

 Bad head and comb .... 

 PIum<age long, loose, or soft . . 



Want of "shoulders" .... 

 Fanned or too erect tail . . 

 Faulty colour or marking . 

 Willow tinge in shanks (of light birds) 

 Want of size * . .... 



„ ,, general symmetry . 



,, ,, condition .... 



Disqualifications. — Single combs. Knock-knees, or any other bodily defoiTnily. 

 than yellow, or in Whites and Piles willowish yellow. 



Feather on the legs, or legs any other 



12 

 20 



15 

 10 



IS 



5 



20 



»S 

 IS 



* Size in Malays should be greatly judged by height, and it will be a tolerably correct rule to allow thirty inches high as an 

 ideal standard for the cock, and deduct roughly about three points for every two inches deficiency. Every bird at present will need 

 more or less deduction on that account. 



ii/'^^V 



