28 o 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry . 
bygone days. In 1833 I possessed a flock of Red Pile Malays, bred from a pen of three birds 
purchased for me from on shipboard at Liverpool : the old cock was nearly eleven pounds weight 
and the best hen a little over nine pounds. With the enthusiasm of youth, I weighed them scores 
of times, hoping to make this couple twenty-one pounds, which however, at their best, they never 
did attain by two or three ounces. I think we may look in vain for birds of that weight in the 
present hour. For the amusement of friends, I frequently tested this cock by putting a piece of 
bread on a table twenty-eight inches in height and four inches from the edge, and yet he was so 
lengthy and stilty as to easily appropriate the much-coveted morsel without jumping. These fowls 
bred well, and tolerably true to feather ; but among many chickens, I obtained two white pullets 
and a black-red cockerel, though for three years they bred exclusively Red Piles, the three ‘sports’ 
just named all occurring in one nest. Some few years back a pen of the same variety of Malays 
were successfully exhibited at several shows, by a member of the Council of the Birmingham 
Poultry Exhibition, under the name of ‘ Rangoons ; ’ they were identical with the breed I once 
had, and were much larger than our present Malays.” 
The number of Malay breeders in England could be counted on the fingers, and hence the 
evils of in-breeding must be especially avoided as far as possible. Every chance of procuring a 
good imported hen (cocks are usually too imperfect in colour to be of any use) should be secured ; 
and every means of giving tone and strength to the system, such as those we have already hinted 
at, diligently adopted. The colour usually gives little trouble, as the black-breasted cocks and 
dark cinnamon or wheaten hens usually breed tolerably true, and white or black must be bred 
as usual in those colours. The practical management has been sufficiently treated of in the 
preceding notes. 
In the East Indies Malays are often fought, and the great majority of fighting birds, in fact, 
contain more or less of Malay blood ; though it will be seen from the next chapter that the birds 
most esteemed are of a different type altogether. Of late many fowls have been shown as Indian 
Game ; and in Devonshire and Cornwall these latter birds have frequently special classes at the 
shows. At a Plymouth show we visited years ago there was a remarkably fine and numerous 
“ Indian Game ” class, of which we took special note. Every bird contained a large element of 
Malay blood ; but the tail was less drooping, the form more elegant, and the combs very small— 
indeed, we observed perfect pea-combs in no fewer than five cocks, or cockerels, though assured 
that all were bred perfectly pure. A few of these cocks were decidedly larger and heavier than the 
average Malay, and being so very near in general type, while of fresh blood, may be very useful as 
an occasional help. Some of these birds we handled were fully as hard in body as any game cock, 
and we were assured that they are often fought by Cornish cockers, and fight well ; but the true- 
bred Malay has more ferocity than real courage. 
As crosses, Malays are valuable for imparting large wings and breasts to varieties in which 
these points are wanting, and when thus used often breed very excellent and weighty birds. 
Mr. Hewitt strongly recommended to cross with Grey Dorking hens, as giving admirable table- 
fowls weighing, when fed for Christmas, eighteen pounds the couple, and having the choice portions 
— breast, merrythought, and wings — especially well developed, and the flesh of excellent flavour. 
This deserves notice in a yellow-legged breed. Crossed with the Spanish, the result is often (not 
always) a black fowl of most magnificent plumage and appearance, which one or two amateurs 
many years since appeared likely, by very careful breeding, to perpetuate and fix under the 
name of the Columbian Fowl ; but the effort was not persevered with, and all traces of the 
attempt have become lost. This is to be regretted, as the variety was of great size, magnificently 
glossed plumage, very hardy, and a good layer of enormous and well-flavoured eggs. 
