Bantams.
Of this breed one kind is Game, and resembles the Game fowl, except in
size; another is feathered to the very toes, the feathers on the tarsi,
or beam of the leg, being long and stiff, and often brushing the ground.
They are peculiarly fancy fowls. There are several varieties, the White,
Black, Nankin, Partridge, Booted or Feather-legged, Game, and the
Golden-laced and Silver-laced, or Sebright Bantam. All should be very
small, varying from fourteen to twenty ounces in the hen, and from
sixteen to twenty-four in the cock. The head should be narrow; beak
curved; forehead rounded; eyes bright; back short; body round and full;
breast very prominent; legs short and clean, except in the Booted
variety; wings depressed; and the carriage unusually erect, the back of
the neck and the tail feathers almost touching; and the whole bearing
graceful, bold, and proud.
[Illustration: Black. Sebright's Gold and Silver-laced. White. Game.
BANTAMS.]
"The Javanese jungle-fowl" (_Gallus Bankiva_), says Mr. W. C. L. Martin,
"the Ayam-utan of the Malays, is a native of Java; but either a variety
or a distinct species of larger size, yet very similar in colouring, is
found in continental India. The Javanese, or Bankiva jungle-fowl, is
about the size of an ordinary Bantam, and in plumage resembles the
black-breasted red Game-bird of our country, with, a steel-blue mark
across the wings. The comb is high, its edge is deeply serrated, and the
wattles are rather large. The hackle feathers of the neck and rump are
long and of a glossy golden orange; the shoulders are chestnut red, the
greater wing-coverts deep steel-blue, the quill feathers brownish black,
edged with pale, reddish yellow, or sandy red. The tail is of a black
colour, with metallic reflections of green and blue. The under parts are
black the naked space round the eyes, the comb, and wattles are
scarlet. The hen closely resembles a brown hen of the Game breed, except
in being very much smaller. That this bird, or its continental ally, is
one of the sources--perhaps the main source--of our domestic race,
cannot be doubted. It inter-breeds freely with our common poultry, and
the progeny is fertile. Most beautiful cross-breeds between the Bankiva
jungle-fowl and Bantam may be seen in the gardens of the Zoological
Society."
"That the Bankiva jungle-fowl of Java, or its larger continental
variety, if it be not a distinct species (and of which Sir W. Jardine
states that he has seen several specimens), is one of the sources of our
domestic breeds, cannot, we think, be for a moment doubted. It would be
difficult to discover any difference between a clean-limbed,
black-breasted red Bantam-cock, and a cock Bankiva jungle-fowl. Indeed,
the very term Bantam goes far to prove their specific identity. Bantam
is a town or city at the bottom of a bay on the northern coast of Java;
it was first visited by the Portuguese in 1511, at which time a great
trade was carried on by the town with Arabia, Hindostan, and China,
chiefly in pepper. Subsequently it fell into the hands of the Dutch, and
was at one time the great rendezvous for European shipping. It is now a
place of comparative insignificance. From this it would seem that the
jungle-fowls domesticated and sold to the Europeans at Bantam continued
to be designated by the name of the place where they were obtained, and
in process of time the name was appropriated to all our dwarfish
breeds."
Game Bantams are exact miniatures of real Game fowls, in Black-breasted
red, Duck-wing, and other varieties. The cocks must not have the strut
of the Bantam, but the bold, martial bearing of the Game cock. Their
wings should be carried closely, and their feathers be hard and close.
The Duck-wing cock's lower wing-coverts should be marked with blue,
forming a bar across each wing.
The SEBRIGHT, or GOLD AND SILVER-LACED BANTAM, is a breed with clean
legs, and of most elegantly spangled plumage, which was bred and has
been brought to great perfection by Sir John Sebright, after whom they
are named. The attitude of the cock is singularly bold and proud, the
head being often thrown so much back as to meet the tail feathers, which
are simple like those of a hen, the ordinary sickle-like feathers being
abbreviated and broad. The Gold-laced Sebright Bantams should have
golden brownish-yellow plumage, each feather being bordered with a
lacing of black; the tail square like that of the hen, without sickle
feathers, and carried well over the back, each feather being tipped with
black, a rose-comb pointed at the back, the wings drooping to the
ground, neither saddle nor neck hackles, clean lead-coloured legs and
feet, and white ear-lobes; and the hen should correspond exactly with
him, but be much smaller. The Silver-laced birds have exactly the same
points except in the ground feathering, which should be silvery, and the
nearer the shade approaches to white the more beautiful will be the
bird. Their carriage should resemble that of a good Fantail pigeon.
The BLACK BANTAMS should be uniform in colour, with well-developed white
ear-lobes, rose-combs, full hackles, sickled and flowing tail, and deep
slate-coloured legs. The WHITE BANTAMS should have white legs and beak.
Both should be of tiny size.
The NANKIN, or COMMON YELLOW BANTAM, is probably the nearest approach to
the original type of the family--the "Bankiva fowl." The cock "has a
large proportion of red and dark chestnut on the body, with a full black
tail; while the hen is a pale orange yellow, with a tail tipped with
black, and the hackle lightly pencilled with the same colour, and clean
legs. Combs vary, but the rose is decidedly preferable. True-bred
specimens of these birds being by no means common, considerable
deviations from the above description may consequently be expected in
birds passing under this appellation."
The BOOTED BANTAMS have their legs plumed to the toes, not on one side
only like Cochin-Chinas, but completely on both, with stiff, long
feathers, which brush the ground. The most beautiful specimens are of a
pure white. "Feathered-legged Bantams," says Mr. Baily, "may be of any
colour; the old-fashioned birds were very small, falcon-hocked, and
feathered, with long quill feathers to the extremity of the toe. Many of
them were bearded. They are now very scarce; indeed, till exhibitions
brought them again into notice, these beautiful specimens of their tribe
were all neglected and fast passing away. Nothing but the Sebright was
cultivated; but now we bid fair to revive the pets of our ancestors in
all their beauty."
The PEKIN, or COCHIN BANTAMS, were taken from the Summer Palace at Pekin
during the Chinese war, and brought to this country. They exactly
resemble the Buff Cochins in all respects except size. They are very
tame.
The JAPANESE BANTAM is a recent importation, and differs from most of
the other varieties in having a very large single comb. It has very
short well-feathered legs, and the colour varies. Some are quite white,
some have pure white bodies, with glossy, jet-black tails, others are
mottled and buff. They throw the tail up and the head back till they
nearly meet, as in the Fantailed pigeon. They are said to be the
constant companions of man in their native country, and have a droll and
good-natured expression.
All the Bantam cocks are very pugnacious, and though the hens are good
mothers to their own chickens, they will attack any stranger with fury.
They are good layers of small but exquisitely-flavoured eggs. But no
breed produces so great a proportion of unfertile eggs. June is the best
month for hatching, as the chickens are delicate. They feather more
quickly than most breeds, and are apt to die at that period through the
great drain upon the system in producing feathers. When fully feathered
they are quite hardy. The hens are excellent mothers. The chickens
require a little more animal food than other fowls, and extra attention
for a week or two in keeping them dry. Bantams are very useful in a
garden, eating many slugs and insects, and doing little damage.