50 



THK BANTAM FOWI,. 



the following statement on Booted Bantams: "Take the 

 best known varieties, White and Black Booted. Both are 

 considerably larger than other Bantams, having been bred 

 more for feather than for size, or, as some affirm, they have 

 been allowed to breed any way, with no definite set purpose 

 in the mind of the breeder as to a model for perfection. The 

 result is, some closely resemble the .Japanese in form and 

 carriage, holding their wings and tail as they do, but having 

 longer legs; others a.re shorter in leg and have a higher car- 

 riageof wings and a lower tail. This class finds more favor 

 with our judges and breeders, and we think will continue to 

 do so." 



At the present time the English cultivate the Japanese 

 form, only they wish the wings held up more and the tail 

 thrown back or down more than the Japs, but they favor a 

 shorter leg than formerly. On one point we should be very 

 particular — the color of legs and beak. The white beak and 

 legs are a distinguishing feature in them, as the pale bill is 

 to the Aylesbury. 



Booted Bantams should have a small, round head; 

 bright, prominent eyes; handsomely shaped comb, and wat- 



BOOTED BANTAMS — WHITE COCK AND BLACK HEN. 



ties of fine texture and rich color; ear-lobes, bright red and 

 close-fltting; neck, full or heavy at base, nicely tapered to 

 the head arid rather long as compared with the size of the 

 bird; hackle, very long and flowing over back; tack, short 

 and rather slanting; the tendency towards erect carriage 

 gives the back a slight incline towards the tail; body, plump 

 and short. The wings, tail, hooks and toe feathering are the 

 distinguishing feature of the Booted Bantams. These we 

 shall try to describe as they should be in a perfect specimen. 



The wings of a Booted Bantam should be long in flights 

 and carried drooping, not tucked up as in a Cochin. The 

 hock feathers should be quite long; if five or six inches in 

 length and quite full, it adds much to the bird's appearance. 

 Shanks should be long enough to properly support the feath- 

 ering 'Of hock, which should not drag on the ground; shank 

 feathering not very full at hock, but should increase lower 

 down. Feathers of outer toes and lower shank should be 

 very profuse and long, the heavier and longer they are the 

 more valuable. The heavy foot feathers, long wings and 

 hock feathering of a fine specimen make it necessary to pro- 

 vide clean quarters for their home. When soiled and broken 

 they are a disgusting sight. 



The tail of both male and female should be full and car- 



ried upright. The sickles of the male should be long and 

 handsomely curved over the back. The tail should not be 

 carried so far forward as on the Japanese, but a little after 

 the Leghorn style of tail. The female is of the same form 

 as the male, with much less comb, wattle, ear-lobe and 

 hackle. Her hock and foot feathering should be very profuse. 

 The preceding describes the true form of a Booted Ban- 

 tam in its natural condition, free from all taint of Cochin 

 or Japanese blood. Of whatever color, they should have 

 their own natural form and carriage. When fashioned after 

 the White Cochin Bantams they should be discarded as of 

 no value. The color should be pure silvery white; or, when 

 of any other color, rich and bright of its kind. The Blacks 

 should be rich and lustrous of color and their beaks and legs 

 black. The Whiskered or Muffled are just like the others, 

 only they have heavy muft or feathers on cheek and under 

 their beaks, also shorter legs and not so much featfhering 

 on hock and feet. They are seldom seen. Only a few care 

 for or keep them. The Splashed or Spangled, are marked 

 very much like the Houdans. Few fancy them and they are 

 seldom seen, even in the show room. • The Whiskered or 

 Muffled Booted Bantams came from Germany 

 to England about 1870. They had short legs, 

 broad saddle and smaller tails than the other 

 type. These were 'bred by a ferw who admired 

 them in their purity. Some of very rich qual- 

 ity were shown by Mrs. Ricketts, winning in 

 open competition againsit the others. These 

 birds winning over the original type, changed 

 the line of breeding somewhat; breeders 

 adopted the shorter leg and higher carriage 

 of wing. Many also adopted the Japanese 

 form, with a longer leg, thus preventing the 

 hock feathers from touching the ground. This 

 intermixing of the heavy form and short legs 

 of the Whiskered variety and the Japanese 

 type has so changed the shape that you now 

 seldom see good specimens of the original type 

 in White Booted. Why these changes should 

 be made in form of these varieties we cannot 

 understand, while at the same time the win- 

 ning Blacks are fashioned after the original 

 style, having more size, the upright carriage, 

 and legs long enough for the heavy hock feath- 

 ering. 

 To reproduce the best form and feathers in this variety, 

 select as your breeding birds the most perfect specimens. 

 It is useless to hope to produce valuable young from inferior 

 breeding stock. Poor specimens have no value. The only 

 real merit in a Booted Bantam is superior quality. If this 

 is lacking they are no better than half-breeds. The most 

 perfect specimens obtainable yield but a limited number 

 of really meritorious chicks. This being the case, discard all 

 that fall below the line of real merit and by using only the 

 best, improve their quality. 



When the old birds begin to molt and the young to lose 

 their chick feathers, great care should be taken to prevent 

 their foot feathers from being broken. About six wepks 

 prior to the time you wish to exhibit them they should be 

 cooped in dry, clean quarters. Coops not much larger than 

 an exhibition pen are best. This prevents their scratching 

 and destroying foot feathers. The floor of the coop should 

 be covered with dry sand and should be cleaned each day. 

 Never allow any food to fall into the sand, as this tempts 

 them to scratch. If any part of the plumage is soiled it 

 should be washed properly before sending to the exhibition. 

 See full directions in another chapter on "Washing fov Es-« 

 hibltion." 



