CHAPTER XXII. 
DUMPIES — REDCAPS — BARNDOOR FOWLS — DOMESTIC FOWLS OF INDIA. 
DUMPIES, OR SCOTCH BAKIES. 
TTNDER this title a breed of fowls lias long been known in Scotland. The most 
^ important characteristic of these birds is the extreme shortness of the hones 
of the leg, the shank hone often not exceeding two inches in length. In America 
they are termed Creepers, and are held in higher esteem than in this country, 
being frequently crossed with Cochins and other large breeds. One of the first 
exhibitors of the variety in England thus describes them : — “ The Scotch Bakies, 
or Dumpies, are a breed of fowls closely resembling the Dorking in form, 
symmetry, and quality of flesh ; the average weight of the full-grown male bird 
is from six pounds to seven pounds, and of the hens, from five pounds to six 
pounds; their legs are singularly short, not exceeding two inches in length 
from the hock joint ; the comb is generally single, erect, and well serrated ; 
the body round and plump, and the tail ample. As layers and sitters, they 
have great merit. They are gentle and quiet when hatching, and subsequently 
prove attentive mothers, their short legs enabling the chickens to brood well 
under them, even when standing up. They are perfectly hardy, and a good 
variety, well adapted for the table ; their eggs are larger than the usual 
average of an English market egg.^’ 
The results obtained by crossing these birds with other breeds are thus 
described by Mr. Hewitt : — It is well known that most of our largest breeds 
have a tendency to become leggy. In the Dumpies we at once obtain the best 
possible cross that could be desired for correcting this evil, as the shank-bone 
of well-bred birds barely exceeds a couple of inches in length. Dumpies carry 
much meat in proportion to their apparent size, the flesh on their wings, 
breasts, and merry-thoughts being largely developed. Their superior quali- 
fications for the spit have urged a few persevering amateurs to commence a series 
of crossings for the purpose of improving our table fowls, and the produce of 
two such experiments I will describe. A Buff Cochin hen running with a 
Dumpy cock produced chickens that proved very weighty birds, but which 
w^ere not by any means distinguished for their beauty ; their chief recommen- 
dation consisted entirely in the twofold excellency of their being inexhaustible 
layers, and as almost interminable sitters. They were very careful mothers 
of their chickens, and tended them much longer than thorough-bred Cochins 
would have done. This cross exhibited a coarse, unseemly head, with a large, 
flagging, heavily- serrated comb, and very long loose wattles. In colour, they 
were mostly grizzled, wdth white about the wings, the ground being rich buff; 
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