GAMES. 109 



Elm Games are blue to dark blue throughout, except the wing-coverts of the 

 cock, which are tinged with golden-red or yellow. 



Gray Games have in the oooka black breasts, thighs, tails, and wings, except 

 the wing-bows. In the hens the tails are black; the rest of the plumage in both 

 sexes being silvery to dark gray. 



Spangled Games are spangled throughout, with any well defined combina- 

 tion of colors, as black and white, blue and white, red and white, buff and 

 white, etc 



Each of these varieties of Game fowls is also represented among the Game 

 Samtams, which differ from the larger varieties only in size. 



Senny Games, are Game fowls in which the sickle feathers of the cock's tail 

 are wanting, thus giving him a hen-like appearance. They are of the various 

 colors described above. Originating first as sports from the ordinary varieties, 

 their characteristics have become so fixed that they now breed true, but they 

 have not yet been admitted to the American Slandaa-d. 



The Indian Games include several sub-varieties, as the Java, Sumatra, etc. The 

 Java Games are of varioHS shades of plumage ; the Sumatra Games are invariably 

 black. These breeds differ from the English breeds in being larger and some- 

 what less active. They are formed more after the type of the Malay fowl. They 

 have not yet been bred in this country to any great extent, as the Game fowl 

 everywhere is lacking in one of the qualifications necessary to popularity here, 

 and that is in disposition to lay. Originally bred exclusively for the pit, and 

 that at a time when the value of fowls as food producers was but little thought 

 of at best, it is not surprising that they are deficient in this respect. They pos- 

 sess other advantages, however, which should not be lost sight of, and for certain 

 situations they are probably better adapted than any Other variety of fowl. 



The games are extremely hardy in constitution, i^hen allowed to range, al- 

 though they do not endure confinement well. In disposition they are the most 

 courageous of all fowls, and this renders them especially valuable for situations 

 where range is abundant, but where, as is usually the case in such localities, 

 large vermin, hawks, etc., are troublesome. The following account of the cour- 

 age of Game hens in defending their young is quoted by Tegetmeier from Mr. 

 Hewitt : 



"Not a doubt presents 'itself to my own mind that, viewed exclusively for 

 their actual merits, unincumbered by the caprice of poultry fashion or individ- 

 ual prejudices. Game fowls are the most strikingly beautiful of any among the 

 very numerous varities of domestic poultry. Among any of the truly bred fowls 

 of this variety, the superiority of gait and general contour strikes tbe eye of 

 parties even the most indifferent and uninterested ; and from this cause I have 

 almost universally noticed that the avenues appropriated to the Games at our 

 poultry shows are those most commonly thronged by visitors. In situations 

 where a free, unlimited range can be tolerated, there is not a doubt that Game 

 fowls will take care of themselves and their progeny more successfully than any 

 other kind of poultry. Accidents of any kind where these advantages exist 

 rarely occur; as of all poultry none are more vigilant in avoiding dangers, nor, 

 again, so capable of repelling aggression ; and many are the instances that recall 

 IfaWMelTes to my memory of cases in which powerful adversaries have found 



