BRAHMAS IN AMERICA. 



275 



the greater squareness and sturdiness of the 

 hen. Some American breeders of the old school 

 would perhaps consider her, at least, rather too 

 Cochiny, and both would, we think, if fine in 

 size and colour, still stand pretty well at even 

 a great English show. Not many years ago 

 they would certainly have won at such ; but, as 

 just observed, are themselves a somewhat modi- 

 fied type of American Brahma. 



Taking the colours, in Light Brahmas the 

 American breeders have achieved greater suc- 

 cess than the British, 

 simply because they 

 have set themselves 

 to do it, and refused 

 to tolerate faults 

 often seen in English 

 prize birds. Such 

 black specks and 

 splashes all over as 

 have sometimes been 

 common with us are 

 not tolerated, especi- 

 ally about the backs 

 of the birds ; and the 

 hackles are more uni 

 formly and sharply ^^^ 

 striped, also the tail- ^r 

 coverts in the cocks 7)i 

 Such black and 

 cloudy hackles as we 

 have often seen in 

 hens do not pass 

 muster at a good 

 American show. 

 Much greater atten- 

 tion is also paid to 

 the correct colour of 

 flights and secon- 

 daries ; and it is at 

 least possible that 

 this particularity 



may have to do with the breeding out of faults 

 elsewhere. The American light Brahma is a 

 somewhat heavier bird than its dark relative, 

 the standard weights being, cock, 12 lb. ; 

 cockerel, lO lb. ; hen, 95^ lb. ; and pullet, 

 8 lb. ; while those for the dark are cock, 

 II lb.; cockerel, 9 lb.; hen, 8^ lb.; and 

 pullet, 7 lb. 



In Dark Brahmas the older model is more 

 preserved than in the modified Lights as here 

 illustrated, although something has lately 

 been done to produce specimens of heavier 

 feather ; but there is no doubt that the Dark 

 Brahma is far less bred than the Light in the 

 United States. In colour and marking both 

 American and English breeders who have seen 



both consider the English birds much 

 superior, so far at least as hens or pullets are 

 concerned ; but all agree that unless size and 

 character can be added to the marking, the 

 clear ground-colour so much valued in Eng- 

 land would not be accepted without these 

 points. 



The economic merits of the Brahma cannot 

 be stated with the same confidence as forty 

 years ago, owing to the changes which have 

 taken place, as above stated. We have 



'^■^.fy^f^fi^^^^^ 



Qualities 



of 

 Brahmas. 



American Light Brahmas 



known it as a magnificent layer, and in the 

 first edition of The Illustrated Book of 

 Poultry we cited cases, some from 

 our own strain, where far above 200 

 eggs in a year had been recorded. 

 In America there are many such 

 strains still ; but in the old country we 

 fear it would be difficult now to find such, 

 though Mrs. Campbell's evidence above is 

 worthy of note. There are various causes for 

 the decline in laying powers, which is cer- 

 tainly general. Of course, the one general 

 cause' of breeding merely for feather has sonie 

 effect, as in all other cases ; but that alone is 

 usually soon recovered from in " utility " 

 stock, such as gets about the country. In 



