The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-12-19
GAMES OLDEST KNOWN BREED.

Game fowls have been in existence
as long as poultry has been known.
Records show that game fowls of
some kind existed in India for cen
turies before the Christian era. His
tory refers to cockights as one Of the
Roman pleasures, and cooking mains
have been popular all through Eng
j1gsh history.
The original black-breasted red
game was Of the pit game or fight
ing type, which is commonly known
as the old English black red game.
The latter still exists as one Of the
standard varieties of pit games, but
the exhibition type is plainly the re-
suit Of careful selection and breed
ing by fanciers, who have succeeded
IN perfecting a game fowl that is
entirely different in form and feather
from it's fighting progenitor.
These exhibition games have lost
little Of the fiery game temper, and
II two of the males get together they
will fight as savagely as their pet
game progenitors and, if not separa-
ted by the attendant, the battle will
continue until one of the contestants
is dead.
The exhibition black-breasted red
game is a variety whose utirity
qualities are very limited, and it is
bred chiefly by number of fanciers,
who admire it's extreme height, beau
t1ful coloring and what is to them
graceful lines.
1t is pred more extensively in Eng
land than in America, and in the
former country competition among
the breeders is evry keen. Many
high class specimens have been i'm
ported into this country at big
prices.
These fowls are notable for their
width Of shoulders, full, heavily
muscIed breast, long legs and neck,
short, tapering tail and general
shortness and hardness. Of feathers.
For show purposes it is necessary
to cut off the comb and wattles from
the males, a process known as dub
bling" This gives the head a long,
lean appearance.
The black-red male is beautifully
colored. His head, neck, back, top
of wings and secondary fight feath-
ers are red and the breast, body, tail
and wing look glossy green black
The female is clothed in soft and
modest shades of brown. Her neck
is golden yellow with a dark strip
down the centre Of each feather
Her breast is salmon, blending into
the brown Of the thighs. The back,
thighs and body are brown, finely
penciled With a darker shade of the
same color.
Black red games are not easily
handled. They are pugnacious.
This prevents the keeping of more
than one male in a flock, and if one
of the females has been removed
from the pen for short time and
then put back the others will fight
and kill her unless carefully
watched.
They are, however, readily con-
fined, being heavy and having very
short wings, which prevents them
from flying easily. They make ex-
ceIlent table fowls, having extreme
ly Well-developod breasts and big,
heavy thighs. The eggs are brown
in color and enjoy the reputation Of
possessing a particularly rich fla
VOr.
The chicks are not easily reared
unless the weather conditions are
good. A series Of heavy rains often
will cause the death OF many chicks.
Taken altogether, the rearing Of
black breasted red games is a prob
lem for the man who takes a keen
interest in breeding for results that
are not easy to get and delights in