25 



We frequently see birds that are very flat in front, aud cut up 

 behind, as in Fig. 15. Chickens of this class have a very short 

 breast ; and, if the breast happens to be deep, as it is in this bird, the 

 chicken will have a very poor appearance when dressed, as it will 

 show a marked lack of width and length of breast, with excessive 

 depth. (Notice that the head is narrow and long, the body is narrow, 

 the eye is bright but slightly sunken, the legs are long and not 

 straight under the body). 



In Fig. 1 4 observe the very flat breast, the length of back, the 

 long neck and head, the narrow comb, the sunken eye, and the length 

 of legs. The breast comes fairly well back, but not well forward. 



In Fig. 18, the bill is short and stout, but not so well curved as 

 it should be. Note the breadth of bead, the prominence and bright- 

 ness of the eye, the short, stout neck, the great width of the breast, 

 the fulness caused largely by the breast bone extending well forward, 

 the short, stout legs (straight under the body), and the width between 

 the legs. There is an expression about this chicken that indicates 

 health and the essence of vigor. 



The back should be broad, to give lung and heart capacity ; and 

 the width should extend well back to the tail-head. We do not want 

 the wedge-shaped back, as seen in some fowls that have great width 

 at the shoulders and taper rapidly towards the tail-head. 



It is much easier to get good-shaped market pullets than good 

 cockerels. The market demands a five-pound bird when dressed, and 

 farmers have gone into raising big chickens. To that end they are 

 asking for large, overgrown cockerels, of excessive depth, for 

 breeders ; and the result is that we get dressed chickens weighing four 

 to five pounds each, that have immense, high breast-bones and very 

 long legs. These are not attractive to the buyers, and they sell at 

 less price per pound than plumper birds. For example, if given two 

 birds of the same width of breast, one is one and one-half inches 

 deeper in the breast than the other. The result will be that one bird 

 will look plump and sell readily, while the other will lack in plump- 

 ness and be slow in selling. This lack of plumpness can be bred out 

 by using such males as that shown in Fig. 13. 



We like to have birds as well built as we can get them ; and Fig. 

 13 is as near the ideal market chicken as we have in the breed which 

 he represents. 



The hen, as seen in Fig. 16, is of a good market type. (Note the 

 width and fulness of breast). As a breeder, she is a little fine in 

 bone, and rather too small. She has, however, that blocky appearance 

 which is desirable. 



3—127 



