47 2 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
page 481, where this variety will be more fully treated. Mottled and Splashed Booted Bantams 
are also bred, of similar characteristics. 
We need only add that the Black Bantam is perhaps brought to the greatest perfection of 
any, unless we except the Game, wonderfully faultless birds being now required to win. At a 
recent large show we counted no less than twenty-eight pens of these exquisite birds, at least 
two-thirds of which would have been sure winners a few years back. These facts make most 
careful and skilful breeding necessary, while everything possible should be done to show the birds 
in the very height of condition. 
COCHIN OR PEKIN BANTAMS. — This pretty Bantam, as might be supposed, was at 
first a “heathen Chinee,” being part of the “ loot” when the Summer Palace at Pekin was sacked 
during the Anglo-French Expedition of i860. It is a diminutive Buff Cochin, but still shorter on 
the legs than the large variety which it so much resembles. The cock’s upper plumage is usually 
a very rich and deep orange ; and the chicks breed remarkably true to feather and other points, 
which is very fortunate, since the extremely limited stock makes any very strict selection 
impossible. Mr. Beldon, who kept them several years, writes of them as follows : — 
“ The gentleman from whom I get them had the first pair seen in England ; and he has had 
the breed ever since, and bred a number every year, and has never crossed them, so that they are 
as pure as when they first came over. The chickens of the pure strain are always alike, breeding 
as true as sparrows ; from which I believe the variety must have been in existence a number of 
years. It is in fact cultivated as a fancy variety in China ; for I had a gentleman visiting me a 
few years ago who had a friend that brought over some more from there, but, very unfortunately, 
they were all killed by a cat. The Chinese, as is well known, have a great fancy for dwarfing 
different animals, and even plants. 
“ The cocks do not get fully furnished until the second year, and the shape also is only fully 
seen then ; indeed, I often think these two-year old cocks are even better shaped in all Cochin 
characteristics than their larger brethren. In colour the hens are a light buff, and the cocks a 
dark chestnut buff. In disposition they are very quiet and gentle, and with care the chicks thrive 
and feather well, and very early, being generally fully fledged at two months old. At this age 
they are very pretty. They are best kept to themselves, as they appear very shy of other breeds, 
though much attached to each other.” 
Mr. H. B. Smith, of Brooklands, Broughton, near Preston, whose birds are represented in the 
plate, writes of them : “ I am sorry I cannot give many particulars about them, as we have only 
kept them a short time. I consider them a delicate breed, and susceptible to cold. They are 
contented in confinement, and very tame ; but seem to thrive much the best when they can run 
out to get worms and grubs. They seem very fond of picking at a bone, but too much meat 
must be avoided.” 
It has been stated that the eggs are generally sterile, unless a cross of some other breed be 
employed ; and there is no doubt whatever that the birds shown by one noted exhibitor were thus 
cross-bred * but, although unquestionably delicate, neither the experience of Mr. Beldon, or the 
gentleman to whom he refers as having had the original stock, and both of whom have bred them 
largely, at all bears out the assertion of sterility, until last season. The gentleman in question, 
Mr. Edward Kerrick, of Arnolds, near Dorking, Surrey, writes us as follows, under date of July 
2nd, 1873 : — 
“ The Pekin Bantams were given to me by a friend, who himself received them direct from an 
officer in the army which took part in the Chinese War, and took possession of the Emperor of 
