476 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



same birds, for if they became accidentally injured before they were fully matured, an excessive 

 amount of bleeding ensued, and not unfrequently a malformation of the feather resulted. The 

 hock-feathers being equally stubborn, were generally much worn off at the tips, though even then 

 always long enough to rest on the ground. 



" In spite of this strange development of feather, which made them apparently awkward alike 

 with eggs and young chickens, if not pestered by those who owned them, these Bantams managed 

 to raise their broods as successfully as any others of the plain-legged varieties. 



" Their flesh and skin was as white as the Dorking's, and of really good quality ; but the 

 peculiarity chiefly noticeable, as regards solid qualities, was that the eggs were as large as those of 

 most common hens, and of an exceedingly deep brown tint in the shells. When broken for use 

 the yolks were as deep-coloured as those of a Guinea Fowl. Being a really good fowl, it Is much 

 to be wished this breed of Bantams would turn up again, for no variety could breed more truly as 

 to colour and character." 



In rearing Bantams, the main point is, of course, to keep them small, and this is by no means 

 easy. The difficulty Is, that many Bantam breeds are somewhat delicate, and therefore the poor 

 regimen that naturally occurs as the readiest means of accomplishing the desired object, is rather 

 apt to kill them off on a more wholesale scale than is satisfactory either to the humanity or 

 pecuniary prospects of the owner. Hence late hatching has been generally resorted to ; but 

 even this, besides having a somewhat similar effect, has been found in many cases to injure the 

 development of the plumage in cockerels, especially stunting the tails, which spoils the look of a 

 Bantam completely. 



By the ingenuity and experience of breeders, however, all these difficulties have been overcome. 

 It has been found possible to contrive really good feeding, which can be given freely, and which 

 shall yet afford very little bone-making material ; and that on the quantity of the latter, size chiefly 

 depends. So much, in fact, would be Inferred from former pages of this work, where we have 

 pointed out the great effect of a judicious use of phosphates and of lime in increasing size ; and the 

 fact that " good feeding," as it is called, does not necessarily contain these elements may be 

 demonstrated with equal readiness. To use only one apt illustration — the average Englishman 

 is always held to feed " better " than the Scotchman, using as he does the best white flour and a 

 large quantity of animal food ; yet the Scotchman, as a rule, attains a larger stature, because his 

 national food contains a good proportion of bone-forming substances. In this way, therefore, 

 breeders have accomplished the desired object ; and it has also been found that upon such 

 nourishing, though not bone-making, food, even late-hatched birds will feather well and fully. 



Different breeders have their various food recipes to accomplish these ends, which are often 

 kept as secrets, and most jealously guarded ; but Mr. E. Hutton, of Pudsey, Leeds, whose remarks 

 on Black Bantams we have already given, has most kindly and fully placed his own method and 

 experience at our disposal. It will have been noticed that in his previous notes he speaks of 

 reducing the size of his birds by "feeding on diet specially adapted for that purpose;" and the 

 extreme smallness of many of the birds shown by him, notwithstanding the well-known and 

 apparently contradictory hardiness of his strain, are conclusive proofs of the success of his method. 

 We may give this very shortly in his own words : — 



" In reducing the size of my Bantams, the special food I have referred to as used by me is as 

 follows : For hard grain I employ good sound wheat, with a little canary seed about twice a week, 

 by way of a change. For soft food the first meal was invariably boiled milk-sops, and during the 

 remainder of the da}- a preparation made as follows : Rice^ most thoroughly boiled in water, had a 



