SINGLE AND DOUBLE MATING. 



273 



at the tail coverts should be sharp and clear. 

 The best colour for the cockerel's breast is a 

 narrow lacing with white on each feather ; but 

 another marking which answers well, especially 

 with the darker pullets, is a small pear-shaped 

 white spot on the tip of each, with the shaft 

 showing as a black line up its centre. The 

 cockerel or cock should also be compared with 

 his mates in regard to their respective colour 

 fore and aft. If the hens have perfect breasts 

 but poorly-marked cushion, the cock should 

 have narrow but intense stripes in his saddle and 

 tail-coverts, and sharply laced fluff; ifthehensor 



and live in hopes of the fashion changing to the 

 darker shades ; it is such a satisfaction to see 

 one's hens improving, if anything, after each 

 moult. 



"A few years ago, at the ' R'oyal ' show 

 held at Chester in 1893, I won first in cockerels 

 and pullets with own brother and sister, and 

 a splendid layer she was ; she laid before the 

 show in June, and when she came back laid 

 seven days running ; and in her second year 

 laid about 23 eggs per month in the four 

 months of January, February, March, and 

 April, before getting broody — so show birds are 



I / 



Fully pencilled Hacltle 



Partly pencilled Hackle. Breast Wing. 



Fig. 96. — Feathers from Dark Brahma Pullet, 1900. 



pullets fail near the throat, the male should be 

 narrower in lacing up there, and than he is on 

 the fluff, and on no account have a white cravat. 



Some breeders of Brahmas have always 

 objected to the double-mating system. Amongst 

 them is Mrs. A. Campbell, of Uley, in Gloucester- 

 shire, who wrote in 1900 : 



" I have always bred my Dark Brahmas of 

 both sexes from the same pen. I do not at all 

 admire, the snaky-headed pullets which now 

 win, which have neither the size, nor the shape, 

 nor the feather of the old-fashioned Brahma. I 

 think it a pity that one shade of colour should 

 be thought of more importance than all these. 



sometimes ' utility ' birds too. Then I won the 

 Poultry Club medal with both a cock and hen, 

 own brother and sister, and in 1894 I won at 

 Tunbridge Wells with brother and sister : in 

 the former case the cock won altogether at 26 

 shows and his sister at 32 shows. I admit 

 that I get a larger percentage of cockerels for 

 show than I do pullets. 



" The loss of size from this new craze is I 

 think worst of all. The 'two pen' system I am 

 sure hinders many from taking up the breed for 

 exhibition, for not every one has space enough. 

 I shall stick to the old way, and believe I shall 

 win with it still." 



