Australian Game (Modern Type). 
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specimens. The first time I noted the difference in the hens especially was on an occasion that the Windsor 
breeders came along with a class of hens approaching the modern marking, which they explained the/ had 
produced from a cross with the hen-feather. These hens were coarsely partridge marked, often approaching 
bars similar to the pencilled Hamburg. This cross was very noticeable on the hens' backs and cushion 
feathers, and on being used for the breeding pen invariably produced cocks heavily ticked in hackle, body 
feathers, and bar of wing, and this was nearly always accompanied by a stunted tail, and a loss in colour 
right throughout both sexes. I happened about this time to be stationed in Yass, and sent home to Camden 
for some of the best of the birds left, breeding a goodly number that year (1879), sending down to the 
Sydney Show in 1880 a pair of ' Colonial ' Black-Reds eight months old, and a pair of Duckwings seven 
months old, the Show being held in the Temperance Hall, Pitt Street, Sydney; the Black- Reds scoring first, 
the Duckwings h.c, the Judge remarking that the latter were splendid specimens, but too young for the Show 
pen. These two strains secured the major portion of prizes for some years, until other Fanciers came along, 
and beat mine with progeny from birds which I had sold. Even at this remote date some of the present-day 
winners can be traced to birds descended from this identical strain. I went to the trouble of keeping a 
Pedigree Stud Book, many in past years ridiculing the fact that it was possible for me to sell a pair or trio of 
birds, or tell the purchaser what they would produce. Nevertheless, I have received the credit from them 
after the season's breeding, and I have never begrudged them beating me, though often I have seen so-called 
'Australians ' (nothing less than cross-bred Hennies) winning against the real ' Simon Pares,' which disgusted 
me. I have frequently met birds bred by Mr. T. Tye, of Newtown, the Sparkes family, and others, which 
were worthy opponents, but they retired after a few years, coming again later on, and at this time a steady 
and decided improvement gradually took place in the birds exhibited. The Judges often got astray through 
ignorance of the breed, but I stuck to them through all disadvantages, and, while I can afford to keep a few, 
will always do so. Even at this day I am proud to state that my birds have to be reckoned with when the prizes 
are bemg distributed, the first prize Black-Red cock at the late N.S W. P.P.C. and D. Society Champion Show, 
1896, exhibited by Mr. Brown, being bred by me, the same bird scoring third in 1895 under the same Judge. 
This bird is also the sire of that magnificent Duckwing cockerel bred by Mr. W. Heron, of Marrickville, 
which won the Greville Challenge Cup for Australian Game at the N.S.W. P.P.C. and D. Society Champion 
Show, 1896, this cockerel at ten months old weighing over 11 lbs., the biggest and best Australian Duckwing 
cockerel that has ever been exhibited, and as a claim to being a bit of an authority on Australian Game, I 
may state for the past 18 years I bred the birds I exhibited, and no true Fancier does otherwise. I was 
informed by Mr. Silcocks, one of the members of the committee appointed to draw up and frame a Standard 
for Australian Game, that they had adopted the colour of the ' Earl,' a British Game cock of 20 years ago 
(shown in Wright's work on Poultry) as the ideal Standard of colour. This I regret, as in my opinion, the 
colour of that bird is too light and gay for a true Australian of the modern type, and for the hen, taking the 
colour of the ' Countess ' in the same work, to which I have no objection, recognising that that is nearly 
correct. This has been the colour of hen I have always selected for breeding. One hen I exhibited in 1892 
of this colour scored first and Special at the Royal, a week after won again at the United Fanciers' Show, 
again scoring a week or two later at the N.S.W. P.P.C. and D. Society Show under three different Judges. 
This hen was exhibited in 1896 at the meetings formed to draw up a Standard, held by the N.S.W. 
P.P.C. and D. Society and the Poultry Club of N.S.W., and her colour was accepted as being the correct 
one. 
"When I first started exhibiting ' Colonials,^ in 1879, the Fanciers of the day were astonished at the 
size, weight, reach, shape, and carriage of tail of my specimens. At that time the birds shown were short, 
stumpy, feathery, and with heavy tails, the sickles being very broad. I was seldom able to take my exhibits 
home. They were quickly bought up by Fanciers, who could see the difference between a clumsy, heavy- 
actioned bird, and one which possessed some elegance of form and feather. I remember at one time making 
a wager of £,2 with Mr. Sid. Norman, who stated a pair of Black-Red hens exhibited by me would not weigh 
14 lbs. the pair. They were weighed, and turned the scale at 16 lbs. i oz. The average weight of a fair 
