504 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



Plymouth Rock in t)-pe, with perhaps a rather 

 larger neck and shorter tail, and being a shade 

 larger in size. It also resembles the Rock in 

 general qualities, both as regards laying and 

 table. It appears to have failed in popularity, 

 in comparison with that, owing to the dark 

 shanks and white skin, which in the United 

 States have been less valued than yellow. 



Another large blue variety may be men- 

 tioned as often exhibited at northern and 

 Midland shows iit England, under the curious 

 name of "Likeliest Hen for La\ing Purposes." 

 The class thus described was probably meant 

 simply enough in the first place ; but the com- 

 petition seems to have settled down to large 

 birds of Andalusian colour, and generally 

 rose combs, which probably owe their size to 

 Blue Langshan. A hen of this breed was 

 recently sold fc: twelve guineas. The rose 

 comb differentiates the bird from Langshans 

 and Jersey Blues ; otherwise all these large 

 blue birds have much in common. Possibly 

 the breed — for it really approaches that charac- 

 ter — whici- originated in this singular way, 

 may be cuUn-atcd presently under some other 

 name. 



Under the name of Shervvoods a fowl has 

 found considerable favour amongst many prac- 

 tical American breeders, though it has never 

 been admitted to the Standard, 

 Sherwoods. probably as not being distinctive 

 enough. The birds themselves have 

 been known for forty years or more, and are 

 spoken of as exceedingly hardy, very tender 

 in flesh, and good layers of large brown eggs. 

 The cocks weigh 9 lbs. to lO lbs., the hens 

 7 lbs. to 8 lbs. They are believed to have 

 been first advertised under the present name in 

 i8go. The plumage is all white, the beaks 

 yellow, combs single and straight, ear-lobes 

 red, shanks yellow, lightly feathered to the 

 outside toe. The slight ' feathering, rather 

 larger size, and the larger eggs appear the 

 chief distinctions between these birds and 

 white Plymouth Rocks. Very similar birds, 

 but with rose combs, have been advertised as 

 " White Wonders," and seem to have much the 

 same relationship to the white Wyandotte. It 

 is obvious that almost innumerable varieties 

 might be produced with such small distinctions 

 as some of those here mentioned can claim ; but 

 " breeds " of such a character can have little 

 of real interest or value for the poultry 

 breeder. 



Of the fowls here described, beside the 

 Lakenvelder and Sumatra, only Dumpies, 

 Scotch Greys, Silkies, and Sultans have as 



}-et been standardised by the Pouitty Club. 

 The Standards for these are as follow: — 



SCOTCH GREYS. 



GENERAI, CHARACTERISTICS 



Head. — Skull : Long and fine. Beah : Strong and 

 well curved. Eyes: Large and clear. Comb: Single, 

 of medium size and fine texture, straight and up- 

 right, the back following the hne of the skull, and 

 with well-defined serrations. Face : Of fine tex- 

 ture. Ear-lobes : Of medium size and fine texture. 

 Wattles : Of medium length, and well rounded at 

 the bottom. 



Neck. — Moderately long, finely tapered, and with 

 profuse hackle flowdng on the shoulders and back. 



Body. — Of mediuni length, and compact. Breast : 

 Deep and fuU, carried forward and upwards. Back: 

 Broad and comparatively short. Wings : Medium 

 sized, well tucked, and with the bow and tip covered 

 by the neck-hackle and saddle feathers. 



Tail. — Of medium length, carried well up (but 

 not squirrel fashion), and with flowing sickles. 



Legs and Feet. — Legs : Thighs long and strong 

 and wide apart, but not quite so prominent as those 

 of the Game fowl ; shanks strong and rather long. 

 Toes : Four on each foot, stout and strong, straight, 

 and well spread. 



Carriage. — Erect and hvelv. 



Weight.—; lb. to 8 lb. 



Handling. — Firm, and almost similar to that of 

 the Game fowl. 



HEN 



Except that the Comb may fall sUghtly over, 

 the general characteristics of the hen are similar 

 to those of the cock, allowing for the natural sexual 

 differences. 



Weight.— 5|- lb. to 6^ lb. 



COLOUR 



Beak : White, or white streaked with black. 

 Eyes : Red. Comb, Face, Wattles, and Ear-lobes : 

 Bright red. Legs and Feet : White, or white mottled 

 with black, but not sooty. 



Plumage of the Cock. — Cuckoo feathered ; ground 

 colour of body, tliighs, and wing feathers blue-white, 

 and that of the neck-hackle, saddle, and tail feathers 

 varjdng from blue-white to light grey ; barring, 

 black, with a metaUic lustre. The marking of the 

 body, thighs, and \\-ing feathers should be straight 

 across, but that of the neck-hackle, saddle, and tail 

 may be sUghtly an.gjed or V-shaped. The alternating 

 bands of black and white should be of equal widtli, 

 and proporrioned to the size of the feather. The 

 bird should " read " •throughout — i.e. the shade 

 should be the same from head to tail. The plumage 

 should be free from red, black, white, or yellow 

 feathers, and the hackle, saddle, and tail should be 

 distinctly and evenly barred, while the markings all 

 over should be rather small, even, and sharply defined. 



Plumage of the Hen. — This should be almost 

 similar to that of the cock, tlie only difference being 

 that the markings are rather larger, and produce an 

 appearance somewhat resembhng shepherd's tartan. 



