| The Black Sumatra is indigenous to the Indonesian Island of Sumatra and eventually inhabited the Island of Java. It has been witnessed (and confirmed) that the Sumatran fowl are able to fly the 5-mile distance from Sumatra to Java with the help of the winds that prevail there. Because of those winds, the birds from Java cannot fly back to Sumatra again. 1.
This population was soon bred with Javan Jungle fowl (Gallus Varius) and the various domestic Javan game fowls. There is continued debate and some speculation as to its origin. While the Sumatra’s true origin is clouded by time, it was unclear to early naturalists (including Darwin) whether these were indigenous mutations, subspecies or distinct species. Others believe its original form to be that of a distinct jungle fowl with the resulting crosses mentioned above and others, (pheasant) possibly leading to today’s modern form. The pheasant connection is seen through the breed’s triple spurs, long tails, flying ability and game-like survival instincts.
Literature of the 17th and 18th centuries describe the Sumatra as “Negro Fowl” and also speaks of another Sumatran native (or form) of “ silk feathered fowl” or “wool chickens” that had black skin and white feathers. This Silky connection is a curious one, because they have similar characteristics of skin color, eyes, face and head structure of these breeds. The shared isolation of these two breeds lends to the theory of cross-mating between them. Silky feathered Sumatras have been found in the wild thus bolstering the notion of one breed directly descending into the other or at least the co-mingling of genetic materials.
Sumatras have also been instrumental in the development of other Asiatic breeds including the Langshan and possibly many others.
Mr. J. Butters of Boston first imported Sumatras into America in 1847; they arrived from Anglers Point, Sumatra. These birds were then crossed with various strains of American Game chickens. These attempts were considered quite successful, especially for improving stamina and aggression in the resulting offspring. The Sumatra has consistently been considered a game type bird from its early beginnings. Its diverse genetics and isolated gene pool has strengthened the flying ability and quickness of many varieties.
There is little documentation of the original (wild form) Sumatra’s importation until much later in the nineteenth century.
The first Sumatras imported into Europe were not the pure wild type, black faced birds that originated on Sumatra but those cross-mated with the birds from Java, and, or the aforementioned American crosses. These shipments included red-faced birds with varied leg and feather color. The names of Malay Pheasants or Sumatra Fowl were given to any black bird imported from the Indonesian Archipelago. These birds influenced a great many fighting breeds.
The domestic evolution of this breed has taken two distinct paths. The” European Type” Sumatras began to be bred more for exhibition and gracefulness. Long legs and an increase of feather profusion, fluff and some red faces resulted. The “American type” Sumatra is much shorter legged but has the same type of feather profusion and fluff as the European types. As of late the “wild type” has gained much momentum in American exhibition. In my opinion, it is quite beautiful and true to the original. This type has long legs, less fluff, considered hard feathered except for flowing, and abundant hackles, tailfeathers, sickle and saddle feathers. What one can find today are all three types as well as variations of the cross-mated types.
The Sumatra was admitted into the American Standard of Perfection in 1883 and to this day remains one of its most beautiful and exotic inclusions.
For Part Two Click Here
Tevis Moore
**Note**
This article was written for use on The Gander Gab site,
For educational purposes ONLY. Any other use of this material, please contact T-Man at The Gander Gab.
CREDITS 1. Ishtar.
The sources of the History of the Sumatra were complied from articles written by…J. Floyd, G. Atkin, F.P.Jeffrey BANTAM CHICKENS, published by the American Bantam Association. Leonora Hering, BA U of Calif., THE SILKIE reprinted by ABA, pamphlet number 187; Darwin POULTRY BOOK, 1867; M Temminck HISTORIE GENERAL DES GALLINACES, 1818. |
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