Malay cock 10 pounds; whilst a first-rate
Sebright Bantam weighs hardly more than 1 pound. During the last 20
years the size of some of our breeds has been largely increased by
methodical selection, whilst that of other breeds has been much
diminished. We have already seen how greatly colour varies even within
the same breed; we know that the wild _G. bankiva_ varies slightly in
colour; we know that colour is variable in all our domestic animals;
nevertheless some eminent fanciers have so little faith in variability,
that they have actually argued that the chief Game sub-breeds, which
differ from each other in nothing but colour, are descended from
distinct wild species! Crossing often causes strange modifications of
colour. Mr. Tegetmeier informs me that when buff and white Cochins are
crossed, some of the {258} chickens are almost invariably black.
According to Mr. Brent, black and white Cochins occasionally produce
chickens of a slaty-blue tint; and this same tint appears, as Mr.
Tegetmeier tells me, from crossing white Cochins with black Spanish
fowls, or white Dorkings with black Minorcas.[419] A good observer[420]
states that a first-rate silver-spangled Hamburgh hen gradually lost
the most characteristic qualities of the breed, for the black lacing to
her feathers disappeared, and her legs changed from leaden-blue to
white; but what makes the case remarkable is, that this tendency ran in
the blood, for her sister changed in a similar but less strongly marked
manner; and chickens produced from this latter hen were at first almost
pure white, "but on moulting acquired black collars and some spangled
feathers with almost obliterated markings;" so that a new variety arose
in this singular manner. The skin in the different breeds differs much
in colour, being white in common kinds, yellow in Malays and Cochins,
and black in Silk fowls; thus mocking, as M. Godron[421] remarks, the
three principal types of skin in mankind. The same author adds, that,
as different kinds of fowls living in distant and isolated parts of the
world have black skin and bones, this colour must have appeared at
various times and places.

The shape and carriage of the body and the shape of the head differ
much. The beak varies slightly in length and curvature, but
incomparably less than with pigeons. In most cres