Judging Game. 
3 1 1 
time, so long as any sign of hen or pullet be sedulously guarded against : but that event is 
invariably followed by an obstinate fight, in which most of the birds will be killed ; and 
harmony can never afterwards be re-established. It is also necessary to separate each stag 
as he is dubbed ; otherwise he is always attacked, his companions not appearing to recognise 
him when shorn of the appendages thus removed. 
A word may be said, in conclusion, as to the number of hens allowed by Mr. Douglas to one 
cock. It is quite certain that amongst the old cock-fighters it was an accepted rule not to place 
more than three or four hens with one cock, and they always considered that, for their special 
purposes, a greater number led to deterioration ; and in those days such anxious attention was 
bestowed on every detail, that many will be slow to accept so total a reversal of all their ideas. 
Much must depend upon the biids, and much upon the range ; for it is a well-proved fact that with 
unlimited range double the number of hens may be allowed, with even more vigour than the 
smaller number in a close yard. Different stock-birds, also, differ totally in their vigour and 
disposition ; and we have not the slightest doubt that in many cases the produce has been actually 
weakened, and hens even rendered entirely barren, by want of sufficient mates for a very lively bird ; 
but on the other hand our own experience has certainly not taught us to expect much size and 
vigour, or even fertility, from large fowls (in our case Brahmas) when mated with more than from 
four to eight hens. Mr. Douglas would not utter such an opinion unadvisedly, however ; and all 
we can say is, that soil, food, range, individual character, and age of the bird, with other circum- 
stances, should be carefully weighed. 
JUDGING GAME. — “ In judging Game,” says Mr. Douglas, “ activity and liveliness are taken 
into consideration, as well as condition and other points. It is very seldom, however, that first 
impressions are wrong, unless competition is very close. I know the public often wonder how the 
birds were judged, and I must say often not without cause; but then it must be remembered that 
the judges see the birds privately and while quiet, and that many are ‘made up,’ as I have already 
observed, just to stand the test of passing the judge on the required day, and after that they are 
out of form. In Game it is generally needful really to put the ‘ points ’ together; and hens and 
cocks should be judged by the same scale.” 
We may add that in judging Game it is needful to be watchful against evident traces of the 
Malay cross. Without going into the question of whether such a cross may or may not in certain 
cases impro\ e a strain, there can be no doubt that if it be employed, it should be entirely “ bred 
out ” again before showing, and that no bird showing plain signs of it has any right to take a prize 
as true Game. That cross-bred birds exist, almost any class at a good show will testify for itself; 
but, at the same time, we must say that in our own opinion its prevalence has been greatly 
exaggerated, especially by those who can admire nothing but the old, fighting, “ cart-horse ” style 
of bird. A real Malay cross can generally be detected by the head being too broad, with rather 
heavy eyebrows, or the neck being too long, or, failing these, by a sort of undefined stiffness or 
awkwardness of gait, which is as distinct from the elastic tread of the Game as can well be. If a 
bird shows none of these faults, to assert that he is “ half-bred Malay ” is mere reckless jealousy. 
Certain perceptible changes in the accepted Standards for Game since the earlier editions of 
this work were published have already been made clear. We only need add that, in our opinion, 
the average length of limb has increased nearly an inch during the very moderate interval from 
1872 to 1888; and it is remarkable that along with this (sometimes called a “ Malay ” point) there 
has been a most obvious decline in more truly Malay characteristics, showing that the change is due 
to selection and preference, and not to crossing. In the following descriptions we have had the 
