Judging Bantams. 477 



little dripping added to it, and was spiced with pimento, and when quite cold I added a small 

 portion of finely-ground oatmeal, the rice forming nice pellets, to which the oatmeal adhered when 

 it was thrown on the ground. This, although very high feeding, supplied little bone-forming 

 substance ; and though the chicks remained small, they feathered well, and I have often had early- 

 bred pullets laying at the age of sixteen weeks." 



The regimen here described may of course be applied to any breed of Bantams. Stimulating 

 and nourishing as it is, Mr. Hutton is quite correct in stating that upon the whole it contains 

 little bone-forming substance, the only ingredient at all rich in this being the little oatmeal which 

 adheres to the rice ; rice itself being practically destitute of such ingredients, and also the bread and 

 milk, except what the milk contains — an almost infinitesimal quantity. Yet, while possessing these 

 desirable qualities, it is rich and stimulating enough to carry the most delicate breed through either 

 late or early seasons without difficulty. 



The best mothers for Bantam chicks are either birds of their own breeds or Silky hens. 



JUDGING BANTAMS. — In most breeds of Bantams there are certain points, such as the 

 ear-lobes in Blacks, or the lacing and hen-tail in Sebrights, which are regarded as essential, and 

 require primary attention at the hands, or rather the eyes, of the judge ; but beyond these a 

 ^r«f;'rt/ neatness and smartness of carriage and "make-up" are especially to be considered. The 

 reason for this is very manifest. Bantams being — whatever their practical merits may be — regarded 

 exclusively as ornamental poultry, the general effect to the eye, so far as compatible with what may 

 be the conventional standard of the jDarticular breed itself, has perhaps more weight than in any 

 other variety of fowl. 



In connection with this point, and to avoid serious mistakes and consequent disappointment on 

 the part of many amateurs, it is absolutely necessary to state that the so-called " Standard of 

 Excellence" is, as regards Bantams, utterly unreliable and worthless. In all the scales for Bantam 

 breeds treated of in that work there is a limit of weight given for each sex, beyond which the birds 

 are stated to be "disqualified," that is, ipso facto thrown out even of competition. In the case of 

 cocks, the limit is fixed as follows : Game Bantams, twenty-four ounces ; Sebrights, twenty ounces ; 

 Black or White Bantams, twenty ounces ; excess over these weights being " disqualification." We 

 have not the slightest hesitation in affirming tiiat not only is this not the case, but that it Jias never 

 been so amongst recognised English judges ; whilst it would both destroy all correct and acknow- 

 ledged Bantam judging, and disqualify far more than half of the most celebrated winning birds. 

 Nothing could more strongly show the absurdity we have before pointed out of merely empirical 

 scales. So palpably true is what we state, that in the American " Standard," which usually follows 

 the work named most closely, the limit of weight has perforce been extended — in the case of 

 Sebright cocks no less than four ounces ; but even that, or any other absolute limit whatever, cannot 

 be maintained. We ought to state that we are not expressing a mere opinion on this matter, 

 which might differ from that of one holding different views ; it is a simple matter of fact, and 

 we speak from actual test — as applied to awards by every judge at all recognised in the 

 poultry world. Bantams are never actually weighed now in competition ; but by the courtesy of 

 committees we have been allowed to ascertain and compare actual weights after some awards ; we 

 have been allowed to weigh other well-known birds in "their native home ;" and in countless other 

 cases we have estimated the weights by hand (and our hand has been acknowledged to be pretty 

 accurate) ; and the result is, that the exceptions to the stated limit of weight are considerably 

 more than the cases which fall within it ; and not only so, but as a rule comprise the very best 

 birds. The rule is wrong even in principle ; for it is apparent size and not mere weight the 



