THE LANCASHIRE GOPPY 



ness in the Yellows, as their colour is frequently 

 not to be despised, and is a feature to be main- 

 tained and credited with a reasonalile value. 



The classificalion of Lancashires is the same 

 for Coppies and Plainheads alike : (a) Clear 

 Yellow Coppy, (h) Clear Buff Coppy, (c) Clear 

 Yellow Plainhead, (d) Clear Buff Plainhead, (e) 

 Ticked Yellow Coppy. (/) Ticked Buff Coppy, 

 ((/) Ticked Yellow I'lainheads, (h) Ticked Buff 

 Plainhead. This was the classification given 

 at Hochdale twenty-three years ago. To-day- 

 four additional classes are given — viz. Coppy 

 hens, Plainhead hens, current year Coppies, 

 and current year Plainheads — twelve classes 

 in all, anti they could be furlher subdivided 

 by separating Yellow and Buff Coppy hens and 

 Yellow and BulT Plainhead hens, also current 

 year Yellow and Buff Coppy and the Plainheads 

 in like manner if entries warrant it. 



Breeding is similar to that of the Norwich 

 type crest, that is Coppy cock to Plainhead 



hen, or vice versa, and as 

 Breeding .^ j.^,jp ^.j^^ -j. consists of 



Lancashires. ^ 



yellow and buff ; and a ticked 



bird, be it Coppy or Plainhead, is usually 

 paired to a Clear. These principles are, of 

 course, at times departed from to obtain 

 some special point. For instance two 

 Coppies are paired together to obtain a 

 greater percentage of coppies in the off- 

 spring, but the breeder when thus pairing 

 should be careful to select two of the neatest 

 and most perfect Coppies, yellow and buff, 

 of course, and if one is a Ticked bird so 

 much the better colour and quality. A 

 glance at the chapter on Norwich will 

 explain the reason. Two Coppies, w-hich 

 nui narrow at the back of the poll, and 

 whip up at the sides behind the eye, should 

 never be paii'cd together, or the breeder 

 will so emphasise the faults as to take tw'o 

 or three breeding seasons to get them under 

 control again. 



Two Buff Coppies are also paired to get 

 the Coppies denser in feather, as it tends to 

 thicken the web. Some breeders also pair 

 two Coppies together to breed larger Coppies- 

 This system we have never been able to 

 follow, because it is rare for a Coppy to have 

 the width of skull of a Plainhead, and as 

 the narrow cr the skull the smaller the coppy 

 and vice versa, it is reasonable to anticipate 

 larger coppies from a Copj^y and Plainhead 



than from two Coppies. Wide - skulled 

 Plainheads arc paired together to develop 

 width of skull, two Buffs by preference, and 

 their young ]iaired back to the Coppy, 

 Yellow and BulT, and if the Cojipies have 

 been double-Coppy bred so much the better 

 in this case, as it will tend to secure a fair 

 percentage of Coppies in the progeny. 



It is also an advantage to pair a Ticked 

 Coppy with a Ticked Plainhead if losing 

 colour, or a Buff Coppy with a Buff Plain- 

 head if losing size, or wanting to increase 

 density of feather, or gain stronger bone. 

 Size must at all times be kept in view, 

 length and massive proportions being lead- 

 ing characteristics. Remember that the 

 body is not only bulky, l)ut must be long 

 too, and if length and bulk are to be main- 

 tained one, if not both, of the birds paired 

 must possess it. As in other v'arieties 

 birds faidty in any respect must be paired 

 to partners particularly good in these 

 points. 



In starting to breed the beginner should 



avoid what are known as " Bumble-fronts " 



in tlie Copi^y, that is a strong 



What to heavy undergrowth of short. 

 Avoid. • . 



bristly feather grownig upwards 



at the base of the beak just over the nostrils, 



and causing the Coppy to lift and aj^pear 



untidy in front. These bristly feathers are 



present in all birds, but their proper position 



is to lie clown in the direction of the beak 



close to its base. It is the upward growth 



that divides the front of the Coj^py, and 



causes it to be termed " split fronted." 



This same faidt also causes great trouble 

 in the Norwich type Crest, and it is well to 

 suard asainst it at the commencement. 



We believe those well-known breeders of 

 the Lancashire, Messrs. Robert Barriss, of 

 Rochdale, and John Garner, of Hazelgrove, 

 both follow similar principles in breeding 

 to those that we advocate. Our experience 

 is that the Lancashire, whilst a free breeder 

 if the stock is healthy, includes some in- 

 different feeders, even though avc have had 

 some hens turn out splendid mothers. 

 Still it is well to have a few pairs of feeders, 

 such as Yorkshires, Norwich, or common 

 Germans to transfer the Lancashire's eggs 



