Varieties op Game Bantams. 483 



butts bluisli-black ; wing-bars steel-blue ; secondaries clear white on lower web, with a small black 

 spot on the end of each, forming a bar of black down the wing just above the white ; breast, belly, 

 thighs, and tail bluish-black ; legs and feet willow-green. The Silver Duckvving cock is similar to 

 the above, except in the following particulars : Hackle-feathers pure white, with slight stripes of 

 black ; back and wing-bow pure white. 



" The Duckwing hen's face, comb, wattles, and ear-lobes are bright fed ; eyes vermilion ; 

 beak greenish horn ; head and neck white and black (the centre" and margin of each hackle- 

 feather being white and the remainder black, the white should predominate) ; breast light salmon 

 or fawn, each feather having a stripe one shade lighter down the shaft ; thighs and belly ashy- 

 grey ; back and wings uniform light French grey, very evenly and finely pencilled with black, 

 giving the whole a bluish-grey appearance ; the shaft of each feather white ; tail black, except 

 the top outer-feathers, which should be finely pencilled with silvery grey ; legs and feet 

 willow-green. The Silver Duckwing hen differs from the above in being whiter in the neck, much 

 paler in the breast, and lighter on the wings and back ; altogether a lighter bird, and having a 

 frosted appearance on the wings and back. 



"The Red Pile cock's face and head are bright red; eyes vermilion; beak greenish-yellow 

 if the legs are willow, clear yellow if the legs are yellow, fleshy white if the legs are white ; 

 head and neck-hackle deep orange-red, slightly striped with white towards the shoulders ; back 

 and wing-bow deep crimson, shading into orange-red on the rump-hackles, which should match 

 the neck ; shoulder-butts, breast, belly, and thighs creamy white ; wing-bars and tail white ; 

 secondaries clear deep bay on lower webs ; legs and feet willow, yellow, or white, but the yellow 

 is to be preferred. 



"The hen's face, comb, wattles, and ear-lobes are red ; eyes vermilion ; beak, legs, and feet to 

 match the cock's ; head and neck gold and white, the more golden the better, each feather 

 having a white centre ; breast deep salmon, with the shaft one shade lighter in each feather ; 

 belly and thighs shading off to creamy white, slightly marked with salmon ; back and tail creamy 

 white ; wings creamy-white, with salmon-red markings on the wing-bow (this is called the ' rose,' 

 and is greatly admired by many, though the clear white wing is preferred by others). 



" Black Game Bantams are simply what their name implies, and need no further description. 

 They are very rare, and are not encouraged at exhibitions, nor are the White, because neither of 

 them are so striking or attractive as the Black or White Rose-combed Bantams. 



" The term Wheaten applies properly to the hens, as the cocks to match them are the Black- 

 breasted Reds and Duckwings. There are Red Wheatens and Grey Wheatens. The Red Wheaten 

 hen's face, comb, wattles, and ear-lobes are red ; eye vermilion ; beak greenish-horn ; head and 

 neck-feathers clear golden yellow ; breast a pale fawn or creamy-v/hite ; belly and thighs 

 creamy-white; back and wings pale fawn or light-buff; tail black, the top outer-feathers may be 

 edged with light buff or fawn ; legs and feet light willow.' The Grey Wheaten hen corresponds 

 with the above except in the head and neck, which are white, or white slightly striped with black 

 towards the shoulders, but the freer from stripes the better. 



" To breed good Game Bantams, select a cock and three or four hens from eighteen months to 

 two years old. and put them together early in January. Use the first eggs laid, and commence 

 setting your hens at the latter part of February, and they may be set with advantage until the 

 beginning of June. Generally Game Bantam eggs will hatch on the nineteenth or twentieth day, if 

 the hen is a good sitter. Her nest should be made of earth, and on the ground, and have a little 

 hay or soft straw for a lining. In very hot and dry weather, a slight sprinkling of warm water two 

 or three days before the eggs should hatch will do them good ; but I do not favour the plan so 



