66 
THE POULTRY BOOK. 
now necessary to enter into a consideration of their characteristics and general 
value as useful poultry. 
In giving the characters of this breed we shall do so in accordance with the rules 
laid down in “ Standard of Excellence in Exhibition Poultry,” published for the 
Poultry Club by Messrs. Groombridge and Sons. This we do the more readily as 
the characteristics of the Brahmas, as given in that work, were most carefully 
compiled by Mr. K. Teebay, of Full wood, near Preston, who was for many years 
pre-eminently the most successful rearer and exhibitor of this magnificent variety. 
Brahmas are doubtless the largest of all the varieties of domestic fowls ; it is 
within our own knowledge that cocks have been shown weighing the almost in- 
credible weight of seventeen pounds, which considerably exceeds that of any other 
breed. Of course such a weight is above the average, but there is no doubt that no 
other fowls. Cochins not even excepted, are equal in bulk to well-bred Brahmas. 
The form of the body corresponds with the great size. The breast in both sexes 
is very full, broad, round and prominent. The back is short, very broad between 
the shoulders and across the hips, the saddle feathers being particularly abundant, 
and forming in the hen a soft cushion rising towards the tail. The neck should be 
neatly curved, slender near the head, but very full below, the neck hackle feathers 
reaching well over the shoulders, so as to contrast strongly with the short hackle 
feathers and snaky neck of the Malay. The wings should be but small, held 
tightly by the body, and with the tips of the quills well covered by the saddle 
feathers ; the cock’s tail, though small, should be carried erect, the sickle feathers 
often spreading out laterally, as in the black-cock, the base of the tail being well 
covered by the abundant tail coverts, which in the hens almost entirely conceal 
the short upright quills. The fluff should be exceedingly abundant in both cocks 
and hens, well covering the hinder parts of the body, and standing out from the 
thighs, so as to give the birds the appearance of being very broad and deep when 
viewed from behind. 
The thighs are large and muscular, well covered with soft feathers, which should 
curve round the hocks so as to hide that joint. Projecting vulture or falcon 
hocks are decidedly objectionable, though not to be regarded as an absolute dis- 
qualification when found in a show-pen. The shanks should be rather short, stout, 
placed wide apart, and abundantly feathered down to the outside of the outer and 
middle toes. 
The head in the Brahma should be moderate in size, compared with the bulk 
of the bird, and surmounted with a triple comb, known as a pea-comb ; this should 
be small, low in front and firmly set on the head, without falling over on either side, 
distinctly divided, so as to have the appearance of three small combs joined together 
in the lower part and back, the largest being in the middle, and each part slightly 
and evenly serrated. 
This description of the comb is applicable to that of both sexes, due allowance 
being made for its smallei size in the hen. When first introduced, many of the 
Brahmas had single combs, closely corresponding in shape and size with those of 
