April 1, 1902.] THE TK0PICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
667 
THE GAME FOWL SHOW, 
{By a Specialist.) 
The Game Fowl Show at Temple Trees was a 
pleasant gathering and was a distinct success. 
The afternoon was fine and the arrangements 
were very simp's but complete. There was no great 
crowd or crush and the birds could be seen in 
comfort. 
The men were strongly in evidence, while the 
fair sex with a few exceptions were conspicuous 
by their absence. This perhaps was only to be 
expected for the Game Fowl is essentially a man's 
bird, and is scarcely likely to be regarded by the 
fair sex as anything but an ugly and cruel-looking 
creature. These birds are born fighters, even the 
hens are very pugnacious. As it was two of the 
hens were going it hammer and tongs by getting 
their heads out through the wire netting and a 
special board erection had to be put up 
to keep their heads apart. The cocks 
were unable to indulge in a ' mill ' as 
their wire netting was of smaller mesh 
and prevented their getting at one another. 
The number of the birds was about 60 ; of these 
tiiere were twice as many cocks as hens. The 
points about the birds that strike the ordinary 
poultry keeper most were the size of the cocks, 
some were monsters — tiie heads are unlike those 
of ordinary poulcry in being very broad sur- 
mounted by a peculiar-shaped comb and with 
a beak very powerful and curved which, with the 
overhanging eye-brow, gives this bird a vulture- 
like appearance betokening savage cruelty. 
The feathering too is peculiar to this breed, 
there is no surplus of feacher, no fluffy birds are 
seen; the feathers on the contrary being scanty and 
hard and held very close to the body. The legs 
also attract attention, being very thick and power- 
ful and armed with huge spurs. The tameness 
of the birds was very remarkable especially of 
the cocks. They had not the least objection to 
being handled or touched ; this is the rule with 
lighting cocks ; many of them must have been 
great pets with their owners. The exhibi- 
tion of ferocity is only reserved for their own 
species. It v.as remarked as a curious point 
that several of the hens had one long spur which 
would have graced the leg of a full grown pugilist; 
but in no case had any of them these long spurs on 
both legs. The condition of the birds as a whole 
was good, though several were a little out of con- 
dition and one or two had diseased combs. 
It was eriginally intended to classify the birds 
under three classes; for the three breeds that were 
likely to be met with in Ceylon viz ; the pure- 
bred Malay ; the pure Indian Game (or Azeel); and 
a class for the Local game fowl of no special type. 
It was found however exceedingly difficult to 
define many of the birds. The preponderance was 
largely Malays and nearly all the others save one 
had a stronj^; dash of the Malay about them. 
There seemed to be only one real Indian game 
cock in the show. And it was wisely decided to 
put all into one common class. 
As to the colouring, the majority of the cocks 
were "Black Breasted Reds." And there were 
several in which the colouring was very good, but 
in the majority there were a good many white 
feathers, which, tiiough doubtless never shown in 
battle, greatly marred their beauty on the exhi- 
bition stand. In fact many of the finest of the 
cocks were thus mismarked. There is uo doubt 
84 
that here in Colombo, if not in Ceylon at large, 
the colour to breed is the Black Breasted fled. 
Curiously there were no black cocks nor any buff 
ones and there was only one pure white. Amongst 
the hens tihere were seven blacks, but only one 
white, wh le there were several buffs and browns 
of various shades. There were two very good 
smoke-coloured hens, and also a similar cock 
which did not however come up to the hens. 
A little care in breeding the Black Breasted 
Reds should in time breed out the stray white 
feathers and make the bird true to colour. 
As to Type the large majority of the cocks 
were nearer the Malay type than the Azeei. It is 
far easier to secure a good Malay than a good 
Azeel. The latter is a costly bird and is bred 
chiefly in Hyderabad and Deccan. They are bred 
by the Pakeer Poultry Farm (E.I. Ry) and are sold 
accordingly to quality at R2U to RlOU per bird ! 
There were over 20 hens exiiibited. The first 
seven were blacks. No. 2 would probably have 
attracted more attention, had she not been in- 
clined to be broody. No. 3 came in for a good 
deal of attention, she had a fine head and neck 
and the feathering was close ; had she been a 
larger bird she would probably have come out 
higher ; being rather undersized, she came out 
third and won the third prize. No. 7 attracted 
many admirers ; no other hen stood so well. It 
had the type of a true Indian game. The head 
was good, the neck long and the feathering very 
close and tight, carried her tail well and had fine 
strong legs, The 2nd prize was carried off by this 
bird. After the blacks came the light drabs, buffs 
and browns. 
No. 9 was a very taking bird and was greatly 
fancied, almost every body that voted gave this 
bird a vote, the majority considering this the 
best hen. It easily won the first prize. It was a 
heavier bird than No. 7 and was of a light reddish 
drab colour, doubtless a Malay hen. The head was 
powerful, the shoulders broad, a good-shaped body 
and tail carried well. The marking was even and 
the feathering close. No. 13 was one that was 
fancied by many, a dark drab big bird, with a 
fine head but not in the best of condition. No. 15 
had a strong backing, the head was excellent. 
This was one of the hens with a single huge spur. 
The remainder attracted little notice except No. 23, 
a pure white hen with many good points, but with 
the blemish of whiskers. This hen stood fourth 
on the list of competitors. 
It was a noticeable fact that many of the hens 
had whiskers and bibs and far too much hackle 
feathering, all of which are serious blemishes in a 
game hen. The judging of the hens seemed to 
be a very simple matter and the unanimity of 
awards was very striking. The cocks seemed to 
perplex the Judges very much. It was easy 
enough to enumerate a large number as not in the 
running. It was in fact strange how one or two 
came in as game fowl at all, they possibly 
qualified as being very game in fight. 
The favourites among the cocks were No 2, 11, 
13, 15, 17, 18. Mr Livera won the first prize with 
No 2 which was a fine young Malay cockerel 
Which looked as if it would grow and fill out 
still more. It was a black-breasted red, the 
colouring being very handsome. It had the 
typical head with long close feathered neck, 
splendid shoulders held well out, strong thighs 
and legs, but it was by no means the biggest 
of the cocks. The silver cup presented by Mr A 
