Malays. 
255 
from the desire of Fanciers and Breeders to soften down the extremely angular appearance, cruel-looking 
head, and length of neck, thigh, and shank, which at first notice may appear unsightly, but are all important 
points, being identified with this breed alone. This fining-down process has been the means of sacrificing to 
a great extent another important quality of the Malay, that of size. The wonderfully close, hard, spare, 
lustrous plumage of the old-time specimens was a most important characteristic, but this has also been 
sacrificed, and the result is a weaker-headed, smaller-bodied, shorter-legged and necked bird, carrying far too 
much feather, and with a heavy tail, and not of the correct shape. 
Another strongly-marked characteristic of the breed is the peculiar gait and swagger, quite unlike any 
other variety of Poultry; the more typical the specimen is in appearance, the more pronounced is this feature. 
Thj Malay is not now extensively used as a cross for improving Table Poultry, this position being 
occupied by the Cornish-Indian Game Fowl ; but we still know of at least two breeders who for the past 
season or two have used the Malay cock with Dorking hens, and the progeny have turned out all that could 
be wished, from a gastronomic point of view. There are, however, many staunch adherents of the breed 
who season after season try their utmost to breed birds of the true Malay type, gaunt, angular, stilty, and 
cruel-looking though they may be, so that there is little fear of the breed's extermination. This is as it 
sliould be, so that we may hand down to posterity true and worthy specimens of the Malay Fowl. We have 
stated previously in this Chapter that the Modern Exhibition Game Fowl owe much of their present day 
excellence in the eyes of their admirers to the Malay. Their extreme length of limb and great reach, 
sharp-set shoulders, hard, short, close, lustrous plumage, and smart, low, close-set tails, point conclusively to 
the Malay as the source from which they derived these essential Show points ; and, in addition, the tendency 
that these same Show Fowls have towards square or flat-shinned shanks is further evidence. Again, it has 
come under our notice that at least one of our most successful Modern British Show Game breeders has 
bred his winning birds for some years from birds descended from Malays, and also that other breeders have 
used birds from these m.ide strains to perfect their Show specimens. 
In breeding the Black-Red Variety^ the greatest care must be exercised in the selection of the stock 
cock or cockerel. He should be short, hard, sound, and lustrous in feather ; his hackle, back, shoulder 
coverts, wing-bows, and saddle, a rich dark, solid red ; his breast, wing-bars, and tail, a brilliant greenish, 
glossy black. His tail should be carried low ; the sickles curved but slightly, of moderate length, the sickles 
and side hangers tapering off to a fine needle-point. He should have a long, broad head, heavy brows (the 
heavier the better), close-set, firm comb, and small wattles (throat and face as bare of feathers as possible), a 
long, nicely-curved neck, broad, prominent, and well-set shoulders, long, stout, muscular thighs, and long, 
strong, straight, yellow shanks. The hens to match may be either wheaten, partridge, or the lighter shades of 
cinnamon, and should be good in head points, close and short in feather, good in shape, style, and as long in 
limb as possi jle. Birds of this description will produce a fair proportion of good progeny. To breed pullets 
it will not matter so much if the cockerel selected is a trifle duller in colour, and has a few brown feathers in 
the breast and fluff, though the cockerels from this mating would come almost brown breasted. This mating, 
of course, would only be successful if the hens mated with him were up to Standard requirements in head 
points, style, shape, and shortness of feather. 
In breeding the Ginger-Breasted Variety, much greater latitude may be taken in the mating of the stock 
birds, as in fact they are by no means nearly as difficult to breed to Standard requirements as either the 
Black-Reds, Piles, or Duckwings. Frequently a few Ginger-Breasted birds will be produced from the very 
best Black-red stock, the breed having a tendency to revert to the original or Brown-Breasted type ; at the 
same time there are few specimens of the Black-Reds equal to the Ginger-Breasted birds ; the latter, as a 
rule, being exceptionally good in closeness, hardness, and shortness of feather, and their tail sickles are of a 
bronzy hue, narrow, wiry, and very pointed. In the Show pen in this Country, colour is not nearly of so 
much importance as head properties, size, reach, and style. 
Piles rank next in value to the Black-Reds and Gingers, and without doubt they are very 
striking and handsome. They are, however, very difficult to breed true to colour, the hens generally being 
