companions; the main difference being the silvery ground instead of the golden. The Silver variety will sometimes even make its appearance if you breed merely the Golden sort, exactly as the Black Polish produce now and then some pure white chicks that make very elegant birds. An attempt has been made to obtain the black top-knotted White Polish from these, by acting on the imagination of the parents. The experiment failed, though similar schemes have been said to succeed with animals; it proved, however, one thing-namely, that it will not do to breed from the White Polish as a separate breed. Being Albinos, the chicks come very weakly, and few survive. On the other hand, trust to chance for an occasional white one among the black, and you get a fine bird.

There is a singular variety of the Polish, which has the entire plumage of a uniform slaty dun colour. Other curious combinations of colour are probably to be found here and there in the hands of careful breeders. One has been lately raised, in which the golden plumage has been crowned by a large globe-shaped white crest of dense feathers how long this will continue permanent, remains to be tested. There was also a breed called after Lord Erdley which obtained a prize at one of the Poultry-shows in the Zoological Gardens.

The Polish are chiefly suited for keeping in a small way, and in a clean and grassy place. They are certainly not so fit for the yard of the farmer, becoming blinded and miserable with dirt. It is a main point to procure them genuine, as the degenerate things one sees in towns are frequently palmed on the buyer instead of the handsome, deep-bodied, short-legged variety. I have seen a slight sub-variety having the crest entirely white, but inferior in shape and beauty. Indeed there is no breed of Fowls more disfigured by mongrelism than this. The Polish will, without any cross-breeding, occasionally produce white stock that are very pretty, and equally good for laying, &c. It is singular, however, that if you attempt to make a separate breed of them, they become

puny and weak. It is better for those who wish for them to depend upon chance: every brood almost of the black producing one white chick strong and lively as the rest.

The Polish Fowls are excellent for the table, the flesh being white, tender, and juicy; but they are quite unsuitable for being reared in any numbers, or for general purposes: they are capricious in their growth, frequently remaining stuck," as the country people call it, for a whole month, without getting bigger, and this when about a quarter or half grown, the time of their life when they are most liable to disease. As aviary birds they are unrivalled among Fowls. Their plumage often requires a close inspection to appreciate its elaborate beauty; and the confinement and petting seem not uncongenial to their health. We would recommend persons whose accommodation for Poultry is very limited, to select some pretty family of Polanders, and keep them on the Aviary system; when it will be found that their plumage improves in beauty with almost every moult.

The

Polish Fowls are also currently reported as everlasting layers, which further fits them for keeping in small inclosures; but, as in the Hamburghs, individual exceptions are often met with, however truly the habit may be ascribed to the race. "I only know of the Goldenspangled, Silver-spangled, and Black Poland that are everlasting layers, though of the Black, I believe there are two varieties, one smaller than the other. small ones are of a purer black, with larger top-knots, and I think I have heard they are truer everlasting layers than the large variety. Some of the large ones have slight white tips to a few of their feathers. I am altogether unable to point out any difference between the Polanders that are everlasting layers, and those that are not; for I have seen several that apparently were pure bred that were as much inclined to sit as any other Fowls."-J.S. W.

Both the Poland and the Lark-Crested Fowls are, in Norfolk, trivially called "Copplecrowns."

BANTAM FOWLS.

WE are now timorously approaching the most treasured pets of the Fancy. We have advanced with a tolerably steady footstep through the flocks of well-sized creatures that crowded beside our path-the Turkeys, the Peacocks, the Geese, and the Swans,-and should not have feared to encounter even an Emu or a Cereopsis, had chance planted one in the way; but a sudden fear and trembling creeps over us as we draw near to these mysterious elves and pigmies of the feathered world. Gulliver got on very well in Brobdignag, so long as he did not attempt any leap beyond his strength; but the minute Lilliputians teazed him sadly by their numbers, their activity, and the unseen and unsuspected places from whence they issued. But twenty or thirty years back Bantams would have supplied a more formidable musterroll than they now do.

Bantam is the name of a town and kingdom in the island of Java, famous for its trade in pepper, of which the Dutch despoiled us, and for its unrelenting punishment of thieves. "The Laws of this Country" (Achin, the north-western part of Sumatra, famous for the juicy and refreshing fruit called the Pumple-nose, and the seductive and intoxicating herb Ganga or Bang) 66 are very strict, and offenders are punished with great severity. Neither are there any delays of Justice here; for as soon as the Offender is taken, he is immediately brought before the Magistrate, who presently hears the matter, and according as he finds it, so he either acquits, or orders punishment to be inflicted on the Party immediately. Small Offenders are only whipt on the back, which sort of punishment they call Chaubuck. A Thief for his first offence, has his right hand chopt off at the Wrist: for the second offence off goes the other; and sometimes

instead of one of their hands, one or both of their feet are cut off; and sometimes (tho' very rarely) both hands and feet. If after the loss of one or both hands and feet, they still prove incorrigible, for they are many of them such very Rogues and so arch, that they will steal with their Toes, then they are banish'd to Pulo Way, during their Lives.

"On Pulo Way there are none but this sort of Cattle : and though they all of them want one or both hands, yet they so order matters, that they can row very well, and do many things to admiration, whereby they are able to get a livelihood; for if they have no hands, they will get somebody or other to fasten Ropes or Withes about their oars, so as to leave Loops wherein they may put the stumps of their Arms; and therewith they will pull an oar lustily. They that have one hand can do well enough : and of these you shall see a great many, even in the City.

"Neither is this sort of punishment peculiar to the Achinese Government, but probably, used by the other Princes of this Island, and on the Island Java also, especially at Bantam. They formerly, when the King of Bantam was in his prosperity, depriv'd men of the right hand for a Theft, and may still for ought I know. I knew a Dutch-man so serv'd: he was a Seaman belonging to one of the King of Bantam's Ships."-Dampier's Voyages, vol. ii. p. 138.

The same king (an. 1688) expected to receive from his subjects a very unusual mark of respect. "The Queen of Achin, as 'tis said, is always an old Maid, chosen out of the Royal Family. What Ceremonies are used at the chusing her I know not: Nor who are the Electors; but I suppose they are the Oronkeys (Great Lords). After she is chosen, she is in a manner confin'd to her Palace; for by report, she seldom goes abroad, neither is she seen by any People of inferiour rank and quality; but only by some of her Domesticks: except that once a Year she is drest all in white, and placed on an Elephant, and so Rides to the River in state to wash herself: but whether

any

of the meaner sort of People may see her in that progress I know not for it is the custom of most Eastern Princes to skreen themselves from the sight of their Subjects: Or if they sometimes go abroad for their pleasure, yet the People are then ordered either to turn their backs towards them while they pass by, as formerly at Bantam, or to hold their hands before their eyes, as at Siam."-Idem, p. 142.

Our little friends the Bantams clearly show where they come from. Their passionate temper arises from the superabundance of pepper, their diminutive stature from the Javanese practice of foreshortening, their turgid comb from the succulent Pumple-noses, their overweening assumption and arrogance from the excitement of the herb Bang, and their propensity to make every rival turn tail, from the established court etiquette of the old Bantam regime.

THE YELLOW OR NANKIN BANTAMS are about the most useful of their tribe, and not the least ornamental. The Hens are mainly tinted with a ginger-yellow, and have dull blue legs and feet, and small comb. There is a sub-variety, in which they are more brown, after the fashion of some Game Hens. The Cocks are decked in red, orange, and scarlet, mostly with the false speculum or iridescent wing-coverts, altogether of a flashy appearance; and, indeed, when good specimens of their kind, are really beautiful little birds. Of late years they have much gone out of fashion, but deserve to be rescued from utter extermination. Their eggs are large in proportion to the size of the layer, very rounded and full at both ends. They are excellent mothers, particularly for such delicate things as Partridges, Pheasants, and Guinea Fowls. One Hen, however, that we have, prevents this use being made of her powers, by invariably stealing a nest, though at other times she roosts in the fowl-house, with the rest of the poultry. She is usually very successful in her efforts, only we now and then have chickens at unseasonable times of the year. For instance, this