^.yS The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



judge has to consider, and a really small and small-looking bird, if in hard condition and health, 

 will ivcigli more, for that very reason, than a far larger bird in poor health and loose feather. 

 Especially is this the case with Game Bantams, as we have proved by experiment. We have taken 

 an exquisite cup bird from his pen and found him weigh twenty-six ounces, while his next-door 

 neighbour weighed only twenty-one and a half; yet the last bird was half as large again as the 

 legitimate winner, and bad every way. By such an empirical scale the winning bird — all but perfect, 

 and a gem even of smallness in spite of his weight — must have been disqualified in favour of the 

 great loose-feathered brute which yet came within the scales. Weight is, in fact, no criterion 

 whatever ; and even size, which is, is only one of the points to be considered, and no absolute limit 

 can be laid down for it. 



So important is this subject — we should not have written so strongly upon it else — that 

 •vve think it right to state we have submitted our views upon it to Mr. Hewitt ; and that most 

 eminent judge — who has had far more experience than all others put together — not only permits 

 us to state that he fully agrees with the views we have expressed, but has kindly added the 

 following remarks of his own upon this and other kindred points. 



"In the judging of Bantams, a rigidly-enforced rule as to weight should not be relied upon. 

 What judges should require is, high condition, neatness, and afterwards as small size as we can get 

 them. If a fixed standard weight alone is applied to Game (or other) Bantams, it will frequently 

 be found that a first-rate trim specimen, the very embodiment of a true Game cock, size excepted, 

 and which, seen in the pen, from being whip-tailed, and so close and hard-feathered, looks quite a 

 small bird, still when weighed, from being 'hard as nails' and full of condition, weighs an ounce or 

 two more than the prescribed standard, and would have to succumb to some loose-feathered 

 opponent, that owes his present lucky deficiency of weight entirely to want of condition, bringing 

 him within such an unchanging regulation. Every practical judge of a real Game cock knows that 

 the greatest amount of muscle, and consequently power, in the closest framework is, if combined 

 with smartness and agility, the desideratum ; and as the Game Bantam should be simply the 

 miniature likeness of the true Game cock, form and quality, and not closely restrictive weight, 

 should determine the prizes. In short, what is wanted in all Bantams is neatness, form, smartness, 

 quality, and then the smallest size procurable. 



" As to weighing every Bantam at our present shows, the time appointed for the judging 

 proves an entire prohibition, as committees, always considering shows must be self-supporting to be 

 permanent, could not entail the expense of more judges than customary. In years long past, 

 before the institution of the Birmingham poultry shows, when a few of us used to meet at intervals 

 to pass a social evening, and criticise to the utmost every characteristic of perhaps at most some 

 half-dozen Sebright Bantams, and to descant severely on every shortcoming, scales were 

 necessarily resorted to, as time was then no object, the whole evening being pre-arranged for the 

 discussion of relative merits ; but where shows, as now, of many hundreds of pens, have to be 

 arbitrated in about the same time formerly devoted to the rigid scrutiny of at most a dozen single 

 birds, the eye and the hand conjointly will give a much closer approximation to justly-appointed 

 awards than reference to weights alone. 



" Although quite digressive from the present subject of Bantams, I cannot but here briefly 

 allude to matters from which those amateurs who have not already paid dearly for their experience 

 may yet reap opportune advantage, as relating to the larger breeds of domestic poultry. 



" I am perfectly satisfied that too general reference to weight alone, as the test of relative 

 excellence by arbitration, when judging poultry, has ofttimes led to many difficulties and 

 disappointments. My own impression has always been, an anxious purchaser should look for a 



