3U 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



a coloured illustration appeared in the tirst 

 edition of this work. A cockerel secured third 

 prize in 1908, and a pullet gained second prize 

 in iqio, in the A.O.V. Class at the Dairy 

 Show, but the Rock Fancy does not take 

 kindly, at present, to the sub-variety, while the 

 Poultry Club has deferred " recognition." 



In judging Plymouth Rocks the greatest 

 needs at the present day are two. The first is a 

 more definite understanding respecting colour 

 and marking, concerning which tliere seems a 

 great want of consent or unanimity amongst 

 different breeders and judges, arising no 

 doubt in part from the real difficulty in de- 

 scribing even any given specimens, to which 

 we have already referred. Present signs point 

 rather to the probability of a somewhat nearer 

 approach yet — already made to some extent — 

 to the lighter and more sharply 

 Judging barred American ideal, though 



Plymouth Rocks, probably not to the degree seen in 

 many American cockerels, some 

 of which are almost black and white, and do 

 not stand sun or exposure at all well. The 

 other point needing attention, we must once 

 more emphasise, is form or type. A Rock not 

 of a good table form has no justification for 

 existence ; but we still see many such, with legs 

 too long, and deficient breast, and narrow 

 bodies, and fluff showing far too much of the 

 Cochin ancestry. More consistent judging 

 would do much to stamp out such faults, and 

 is especially necessary in cases where, as in the 

 Self colours, other breeds of similar colour re- 

 quire to be in some way distinguished. 



The Standard of Perfection of the Poultry 

 Club for Plymouth Rocks is as follows : — 



GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS 



Head. — Skull .- Strong, but not thick. Beak : 

 Short and stout. Eyes : Large and bright. Comb : 

 Single, of medium size, straight and erect, with 

 well - defined serrations, and free from side sprigs. 

 Face : Smooth. Ear-lobes : Of fine texture, well 

 developed and pendant. Wattles .- To correspond 

 with size of comb, and moderately rounded. 



Neck. — Of medium length, thick, and profusely 

 covered with hackle feathers, which should flow 

 well over the shoulders. 



Body. — Large, deep, and compact. Breast : Broad 

 and well rounded. Back : Broad, of medium length. 

 Wings : Medium sized, carried we'll up, the bows and 

 tips covered by the breast feathers and saddle-hackles. 



Tail. — Rather small, rising slightly from the 

 saddle, the sickles and coverts of medium length 

 and nicely curved, the coverts being sufiiciently 

 abundant to cover the stiff feathers. 



Legs and Feet.— Legs ; Wide apart, stout, and 



strong, thighs two to three inches long (from hock 

 to bod}^), with shanks to correspond. Toes : Four 

 on each foot, strong, straight, and well spread. 



Carriage. — Upright and graceful. 



Weight. — 10 lb. to 12 lb. 



HEN 



The general characteristics of the hen are similar 

 to those of the cock, allowing for the natural sexual 

 differences. 



Weight.— 8 lb. to 10 lb. 



COLOUR 

 Beak : Bright yellow. Eyes : Clear, rich bay. 

 Comb, Face, Ear-lobes, and Wattles : Bright red. 

 Legs and Feet : Bright yellow. 



THE BARRED 



Plumage. — Blue-white ground, each feather barred 

 across with bands of black of a beetle-green sheen, 

 the markings to be moderately narrow and of equal 

 width, and the colours to be sharply defined and not 

 shading into each other, the barring to continue 

 through the shafts of the feathers and into the 

 fluff and under-colour, and each feather to finish 

 with a black tip. 



THE BLACK 



Plumage. — Black, with a beetle-green sheen. 



THE BUFF 



Plumage. — Clear, sound, even buff throughout to 

 skin, any shade from lemon to orange, at the one ex- 

 treme avoiding washiness and at the other a red tinge. 



THE WHITE 



Plumage. — Pure white ; straw tinge to be avoided. 

 SCALE OF POINTS 



THE BUFF 



OTHER VARIETIES 



; tail 10, in Barred) 



Colour 



Type . . 



Size . . 



Condition 



Head 



Legs and feet 



Colour (includiu! 



Type . . 



Size . . 



Condition 



Head 



Legs and feet 



Serious defects : The slightest fluff or feathers 

 on the shanks or feet ; shanks other than yellow ; 

 white ear-lobes ; black, red, or white feathers in 

 the Barred ; other than black feathers in the Black ; 

 spotted hackle or saddle, mealiness, any black or 

 white in the wings or white in the tail of the Buff ; 

 any coloured feathers in the White. 



