The original of the Bantam is, as has been already remarked, the Bankiva
fowl. The small white, and also the colored Bantams, whose legs are
heavily feathered, are sufficiently well-known to render a particular
description unnecessary. Bantam-fanciers generally prefer those which
have clean, bright legs, without any vestige of feathers. A
thorough-bred cock, in their judgment, should have a rose comb; a
well-feathered tail, but without the sickle feathers; full hackles; a
proud, lively carriage; and ought not to exceed a pound in weight. The
nankeen-colored, and the black are the general favorites.
[Illustration: THE BANTAM.]
These little creatures exhibit some peculiar habits and traits of
disposition. Amongst others, the cocks are so fond of sucking the eggs
laid by the hen that they will often drive her from the nest in order to
obtain them; they have even been known to attack her, tear open the
ovarium, and devour its shell-less contents. To prevent this, first a
hard-boiled, and then a marble egg may be given them to fight with,
taking care, at the same time, to prevent their access either to the hen
or to any real eggs. Another strange propensity is a passion for sucking
each other's blood, which is chiefly exhibited when they are moulting,
when they have been known to peck each other naked, by pulling out the
new feathers as they appear, and squeezing with their beaks the blood
from the bulbs at the base. These fowls being subject to a great heat of
the skin, its surface occasionally becomes hard and tightened; in which
cases the hard roots of the feathers are drawn into a position more
nearly at right angles with the body than at ordinary times, and the
skin and superficial muscles are thus subjected to an unusual degree of
painful irritation. The disagreeable habit is, therefore, simply a
provision of Nature for their relief, which may be successfully
accomplished by washing with warm water, and the subsequent application
of pomatum to the skin.
[Illustration: BANTAM.]
Bantams, in general, are greedy devourers of some of the most
destructive of our insects; the grub of the cock-chafer and the
crane-fly being especial favorites with them. Their chickens can hardly
be raised so well, as by allowing them free access to minute insect
dainties; hence, the suitableness of a worn-out hotbed for them during
the first month or six weeks. They are thus positively serviceable
creatures to the farmer, as far as their limited range extends; and
still more so to the gardener and the nurseryman, as they will save
various garden crops from injuries to which they would otherwise be
exposed.
The fowl commonly known as the Bantam is a small, elegantly-formed, and
handsomely tinted variety, evidently but remotely allied to the game
breed, and furnished with feathers to the toes.
THE AFRICAN BANTAM. The cock of this variety is red upon the neck, back,
and hackles; tail, black and erect, studded with glossy green feathers
upon the sides; breast, black ground spotted with yellow, like the
Golden Pheasant; comb, single; cheeks, white or silvery; the pullet is
entirely black, except the inside of the wing-tips, which is perfectly
white. In size, they compare with the common pigeon, being very small;
their wings are about two inches longer than their bodies; and their
legs dark and destitute of feathers. They are very quiet, and of decided
benefit in gardens, in destroying bugs.
These symmetrically-formed birds are highly prized, both by the fancier
and the practical man, and the pure-bloods are very rare. They weigh
from eight to twelve ounces each for the hens; and the cocks, from
sixteen to twenty ounces.