448 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



saddle, the saddle-feathers in both sexes being curled over downwards, giving a most peculiar 

 appearance. Owing to this peculiar formation of the saddle, the eggs of the Rumpless fowls are 

 frequently unprolific, but by " moulting " some of the saddle-feathers of the hen this drawback can 

 be removed, and the produce will be found as satisfactory as usual. As a rule the birds are hardy. 



Aldrovandus describes the Rumpless fowl as black ; at present, while all colours are met with, 

 the most usual seems to be a brown or red ; but whatever the colour be, the birds rarely breed true 

 in this respect, except in the case of the black or white. The best collection of these fowls we ever 

 saw was at the Birmingham Show of 1871, when four pairs were shown by one exhibitor. Each 

 pair (cock and hen) was nicely matched, but every pair was of a different colour to the others. 

 These birds were small, averaging we should say about four pounds and three pounds each. 



The handsomest Rumpless fowls ever seen in England were exhibited by Mr Henry Higgs, 

 of Lewes, under the name of Gondooks, at the Birmingham Show many years back. They were 

 purchased by Miss Bush, of Clifton, and from this lady, now Mrs. Coathupe, we have obtained the 

 following notes of these birds : — 



" They were most handsome fowls, being a shiny black, quite rumpless, with a metallic lustre 

 running through their feathers, especially those of the cock bird. They had top-knots on their 

 heads, and very short legs, heavily feathered. I only purchased them of Mr. Higgs in October, 

 when they were the greatest beauties, and the cock such a spirited bird ; but to my great regret 

 he was taken suddenly ill in February, and died. Neither of the hens had laid during that time. 

 I tried in vain to procure another cock, but was told the breed was quite extinct in Turkey, 

 whence I believe they were imported. After this misfortune the two hens were mated with 

 a Golden Poland cock, and they laid well and their offspring were rumpless ; but of course 

 nothing like what the pure breed would have been. The two hens were remarkably healthy, 

 and lived on for years." 



Mr. Hewitt has kindly given the following description of these remarkable fowls, which he 

 states to have made an indelible impression upon his mind : — " They were," he says, " small fowls, 

 not larger than a Pencilled Hamburgh, but thoroughly black ; Dorking-toed, black-legged, booted, 

 falcon-hocked, rumpless, crested like Creves, and bearded. These fowls stood as upright as the 

 Penguin duck, in fact as erect as a hawk, yet were singularly lively in their motions, and though 

 strictly rumpless, were as opposed in their gait to all other rumpless fowls as could well be 

 imagined. It was their constant restlessness, combined with remarkably iridescent plumage, that 

 marked them as being one of the most distinct varieties of poultry I ever saw. I have not 

 any doubt, could three like them be shown nowadays, they would quickly be claimed at 

 almost any price." It is to be regretted this breed is lost. White Gondooks are said to have 

 been imported ; but it is more than doubtful if they possessed the peculiar points of the birds 

 above described. 



Rumpless fowls are always stared at, but rarely take prizes. We are much inclined to think 

 that a Rumpless Black Bantam, which could easily be produced, would have the best chance of 

 acceptance at exhibitions. This and any other variety of the fowl can be bred with such facility 

 that the only reason which can be given for their want of popularity is the very simple one, that 

 fowls look much better '^ith a tail than zvithont one. 



RUSSIAN FOWLS. — The origin of the name given to the fowls thus designated is somewhat 

 of a mystery, unless on the hypothesis suggested by an ingenious writer long ago, that as from 

 time immemorial every dog with a rough shaggy coat which could not claim any ot/ia- name was 

 called " Russian," so was every bearded fowl which, for want of crest, could not be called Polish. 



