468 



The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



Bantam. The cross was between some common Bantams and the Polish fowl. These were bred 

 in-and-in until the required marking and size were secured. Sir John then accidentally found a 

 short-tailed Bantam cock in the country when he was travelling. This short-tailed bird he in-bred 

 with his newly-manufactured. Bantams, thereby giving their progeny the present form of the 

 short tail. 



" In the Poultry Chronicle it is stated that Sir John obtained a buff-coloured Bantam hen at 

 Norwich ; she was very small indeed, with clear slate-colourcd legs. On the same journey he 

 purchased a cock rather inclined to red in colour, destitute of sickle-feathers, with a hen-like 

 hackle ; and also, at Watford, a small hen resembling a Golden Hamburgh. He afterwards had a 



Hackle 

 near Head. 



Hackle 

 near Shoulder. 



Back. 

 Fig- 97. 



Saddle. 



Wing-covert. 



white cockerel from the Zoological Gardens, by which he made his Silvers. This description of 

 the origin refers back before the laced marking was achieved. They were then known as Pheasant 

 Bantams 



" Sir John also established a club for the fostering and improvement of his pets. It is thus 

 mentioned in the Poultry Chronicle o{ 1855. 'The Sebright Bantam Club was formed some forty 

 years ago by the late Sir John S. Sebright and several other fanciers, who endeavoured, if possible, 

 to obtain the beautiful plumage of the Polish fowl on as small specimens as could be. They (the 

 late Sir John, the late Mr. Stevens, the late Mr. Hollingsworth, and Mr. Garlc, who still survives) 

 began their labours by selecting the best kinds for their purpose of the Polish, and, by judiciously 

 crossing them with Bantams, gradually obtained their end. They had to work out the top-knots, 

 get rid of the hackles and long tail-feathers, and reduce the size ; retaining as much as possible 

 the truly impertinent character of the Bantam. This has been most successfully accomplished, but 

 not without the occasional recrossing with the Black Bantam, for the constant breeding in-and-in 

 has often brought the birds to a stand-still. The club thus formed met annually, on the first 



