Sultans. 455 



is uncertain. It is certainly a fact that when crossed with other varieties the pecuhar plumage is 

 generally lost, while the black or violet skin and bones remain for several generations. Hence the 

 breed is one which should never be crossed. Black Silkies have been mentioned, and would 

 certainly take prizes if shown, but we never yet heard of any birds being actually seen, at least for 

 many years past. 



The peculiar formation of the plumage is occasionally met with in Cochins, which are then also 

 called Silky, and sometimes Emu fowls. By breeding these together a permanent variety may be 

 established, but it is far inferior in beauty to the real Silky fowl. It is, however, worth remark that 

 the Cochin plumage is, as it were, lialf-ivay towards the character of the Silky, the feathers having 

 much less strength, elasticity, and power of adhesion than other fowls', and being on any part of the 

 body far easier bent or broken ; hence the difficulty of keeping the plumage in what is called 

 " good condition." This is well seen in the small and soft feathers of the Cochin cock's tail, and 

 still more so in the characteristic " fluff," which presents an almost silky character in the best birds. 

 Hence we are not surprised either that the Silky fowl itself should present marked Cochin 

 characters in the feathered legs, tail, and saddle or cushion ; or that, on the other hand, the Cochin 

 should be the variety which most frequently exhibits as a sport the silky character. We have 

 heard of Spanish fowls throwing occasional Silky " sports," but the authenticity of such cases 

 is very doubtful. 



SULTANS. — These pretty fowls were introduced by Miss Watts, to whom poultry-fanciers 

 are in many other I'espects indebted, and who gives the following account of their importation :— 



"They were sent to us by a friend living at Constantinople, in January, 1854. A year before, 

 we had sent him some Cochin China fowls, with which he was very much pleased ; and when his 

 son soon after came to England, he said he could send from Turkey some fowls with which we 

 should be pleased. Scraps of information about muffs, and divers beauties and decorations, arrived 

 before the fowls, and led to expectations of something much prettier than the pretty Ptarmigan, in 

 which we had always noticed a certain uncertainty in tuft and comb. In January they arrived in a 

 steamer chiefly manned by Turks. The voyage had been long and rough ; and poor fowls so rolled 

 over and glued into one mass with filth were never seen. 



" We at once saw enough to make us very unwilling to be entirely dependent for the breed on 

 the one sad-looking gentleman with his tuft heavy with dirt, dirt for a mantle, and his long clogged 

 tail hanging round on one side ; and we wrote directly for another importation, especially for a cock, 

 and to ask the name they had at home. In answer to the first request, we found that good fowls 

 of the kind are difficult to get there ; our friend has ever since been trying to get us two or three 

 more, but cannot succeed either in Constantinople or other parts of Turkey : the first he can meet 

 with will be sent. With regard to the name, he told us they are called Serai-Taook. Serai, as is 

 known by every reader of Eastern lore, is the name of the Sultan's palace ; Taook is Turkish for 

 fowl; the simplest translation of this is, "Sultan's fowls," or "fowls of the Sultan ;" a name which 

 has the double advantage of being the nearest to be found to that by which they have been knov/n 

 in their own country, and of designating the country from which they came. 



" They rather resemble our White Polands, but with more abundant furnishing, and shorter 

 legs, which are vulture -hocked and feathered to the toes. In general habits they are brisk and 

 happy-tempered ; but not kept in as easily as Cochin Chinas. They are very good layers ; their 

 eggs are large and white ; they are non-sitters and small eaters. A grass-run with them will 

 remain green long after the crop would have been cleared by either Brahmas or Cochins ; and with 

 scattered food they soon become satisfied and walk away. 



