Booted Bantams. 475 



but tliey only want hunting up, and a class or two offered for them, to appear in the same numbers 

 as the other varieties. For exhibition they only want to be sent out quite clean, but in washing 

 them great care must be taken, or they will be overcome by their bath, and soon die. Their heads 

 should never be put under water under any circumstances." 



We can fully subscribe to all the above, though we doubt the possibility of getting up classes 

 for this beautiful breed. The better plan, in our opinion, would be, instead of offering prizes as 

 usual at present, to Black and White Bantams " clean-legged " only, to extend each class to "any 

 variety {i.e., of Black or White respectively) except Game," thus throwing each colour open to clean 

 or booted legs. There used to be a Black Booted Bantam also, and such a course might possibly 

 effect its resuscitation. 



We need only add that the Booted Bantam does little injury in the garden at any time 

 of year. We doubt, in fact, if it does any ; the long feather on the legs appearing almost, if not 

 altogether, to prevent its scratching. This point may be a strong recommendation to some, who 

 dislike keeping their pets confined ; cannot afford a good open run ; like to see their gardens tidy ; 

 and yet — inconsistent mortals — ivant to keep fozvls. These are the very birds for them ; and 

 no prettier sight can be imagined than half a dozen of these little snowballs walking about 

 among the flower-beds, and when called, standing still to cock their heads at their owner just 

 like pet canaries. 



When at Mr.Beldon's, in 1S71, we saw some White Booted Bantams, which rather differed from 

 those already described. They had been imported from Germany, and in addition to the vulture- 

 hocks and feathered legs, had good muffs or whiskers, which gave a very quaint appearance. The 

 combs were of a small and neat Cochin shape, while the short legs, fluff, broad saddles, and 

 small tails, all partook of the Cochin or Pekin Bantam type. These, too, were somewhat larger 

 than other Bantams, but might easily be bred smaller, and no doubt would be supported if 

 better known. 



Mr. Hewitt has kindly added the following description of a breed of Bantams which used to 

 be shown years ago, but is now, we fear, extinct. It might perhaps be called the Booted Bantam, 

 but that it differed widely from the white and black breeds now known by that name. Should it 

 ever be recovered— and we hope this description of it may lead to such a result — it might perhaps 

 be called the Vulture-hocked Bantam, or, from the resemblance of its beard and whiskers to the 

 "Russian" fowl described in our last chapter, the name might be suggested of Russian Bantam. 



" An exceedingly unique and hardy Bantam was some forty or fifty years back quite general, 

 but of late years is rarely or ever seen. In colour they very closely resembled the Red Speckled 

 Dorking, a breed also that is now, as I have said in the proper place, a rarity. In size they were much 

 about that of the generality of Silky fowls, but from being very strongly framed birds, weighed much 

 heavier than they appeared at fi rst sight. They were very peculiar, having large rosy combs, combined 

 with excessively developed beards and whiskers ; they were long in the wing and tail-feathers ; the 

 wings drooped nearly to the ground ; but the greatest novelty about the bird consisted in the extreme 

 length of the hocks and leg-feathers. At the time I speak of poultry amateurs were few and far 

 between, and some persons then denounced the ' hobby ' as a folly. Still these Bantams had their firm 

 friends even in those days, and we valued each bird according to its relative merits, by occasionally 

 showing them against each other, simply for the love of superiority. The leg-feathers of both cocks 

 and hens usually measured six iitehes in length, and I once knew a cock that always, when in full 

 plumage, measured seven and a half inches in the leg-feather. An objection arose, however, from 

 these leg-feathers being nearly as strong in the shafts as even the principal flight-leathers of the 



