148 THE COMPLETE POULTRY BOOK. 



Mr. Hewitt as the extreme weight for the Sebright cock, and sixteen ounces foi 

 the hen, bnt the Americam Standard allows twenty-six and twenty-four ounce* 

 respectively. 



Black Bantams. — In this breed the plumage of the cock is of an iridescent 

 black hue throughout ; that of the hens a jet black. The tail is full, with well 

 arched sickle feathers in the cock; and carried well forward towards the head. 

 The comb is of the rose variety ; the ear-lobes white ; the wattles and face red ; 

 the legs short and black, or leaden-blue in color. 



In the EngUsTi Stamdard the Black Bantams are disqualified if the cooks weigh 

 above twenty ounces, or the hens above eighteen ounces each, but in tie Ameri- 

 can Standard six ounces more are allowed to each sex. 



White Bantams. — In this breed the plumage is of a clear white throughont,.and 

 the legs and feet are white. White Bantams have been bred so small in England 

 as not to reach a pound and three quarters per pair; but the English and Amer- 

 ican Standards allow the same weights as for the black breed. 



The chief fault of the White Bantams is a tendency in the cocks to assume a 

 yellowish tinge in the feathers of the shoulders and saddle. The White Bantams 

 have rose combs and red ear-lobes. 



Booted White Bantams. — ^Feather-legged Bantams were formerly quite common 

 in England, but of their several varieties only the white has been retained by 

 modern breeders. This breed has single combs, and is distinguished by the 

 heavy feathering of the legs, which are heavily vulture-hocked ; the shanks may 

 be white or yellow, but white is preferred, and they must be feathered to the end 

 of the outside toes. 



The long vulture-hocks prevent these fowls from scratching, hence they may 

 be kept in gardens where other fowls would do mischief. There should be no 

 yellowish tinge in their plumage. 



PeMn, or Cochin Bamiams.— This singular breed of fowls, illustrated on page 

 151 is said to have fij:st been brought to the notice of English fanciers at the 

 sacking of the Summer Palace at Pekin. " During the occupation of the Palace 

 by the British, a pair of these Bantams used to come daily into the officer's tent 

 to be fed; and as a quantity of spoil was being collected to be sent to England 

 these two were caught up and forwarded. This pair were the progenitors of all 

 those since reared in England. Theveryclosein-and-inbreedingnecessitatedby , 

 the introduction of only a single pair- has had its inevitable result in want of 

 fertUity in the eggs, and great mortality of the chickens ; consequently the great 

 drawback to these very singular little birds is the extreme difficulty of breed- 

 ing them; as the chicks die in the shell, at various stages of development."* 



No further description of these birds is needed than to say that they are simply 

 miniature Buff Cochins; the color and feathering being almost the same; the 

 difference being in the size, the standard weights for these being the same as for 

 other Bantams. 



It has been attempted to remedy the defect in constitution to which Mr. Teget- 

 meier refers by crossing this breed with the White Feather-legged Bantam and 

 then breeding out the cross with results which promise to be satisfactory. 



•TegetmeiOT. 



