^obJ 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



slate and buff, with black wing flights and tail, 

 and one showing distinct black spangling be- 

 tween shoulders and on fluff. The more of this 

 the better the results. I use one- and two-year- 

 old females for this mating with clean, clear 

 hackle and breast and of medium barring on 

 backs and some spangle under wings and on 

 fluff, with as dark wings and tail as you can 

 find. I use females that show the blackest 

 barring and spangling with a clear surface or 

 buff between these barrings. 



" The cockerels produced by this mating are 

 the majority much too light in colour, some of 

 them showing hackle of cream colour, almost 

 white, and undercolour being very light buff 

 with no dark or slaty colour, and are practi- 

 cally of no use as breeders." 



Against this experience we have not yet 

 had time to test whether the standard cannot 

 be attained by the better method of single- 

 mating, and for the sake of the breed, if this 

 is not feasible, we should suggest its altera- 

 tion rather than the adoption of the fatal 

 policy of double-mating in a utility breed. 



Seen together, the Buttercup cock and his 

 mate are strangely dissimilar in colour, and, 

 as Mr. Toozes puts it, at first sight the male 

 might be taken for a light type of Rhode 

 Island Red, except, of course, for his dis- 

 tinctive headgear. 



The Buttercup cock's surface colour should 

 be rich deep red or bay ; the main tail feathers 

 and sickles are black with greenish sheen ; tail 

 coverts black, becoming red as they approach 

 the saddle ; wing flights, black and reddish 

 brown. The American Club's standard from 

 which the British was adopted, adds : " Un- 

 dercolour clouded on back and sides with 

 shades of grey. Butterish sheen on neck and 

 saddle. Spangles in under base of hackle, 

 and in fluff at end of wing." 



In both sexes the beak should be yellow 

 and black ; eyes reddish bay ; comb, face and 

 wattles, bright red ; ear-lobes red and white, 

 in the hen red to be the predominating colour, 

 not more than two-thirds white permitted ; 

 shanks and toes, willowy green. 



The plumage of the Buttercup hen is very 



unlike that of the cock, being generally a 

 golden buff mottled on the back with well- 

 defined black spots. The breast is a paler 

 shade of golden buff free from markings run- 

 ning lighter m the fluff, and the tail and wing 

 flights are black and reddish brown. 



Disqualifications in the English standard 

 are " shanks other than green, feathers on 

 shanks or toes, all white in ear-lobes.'.' To 

 these the American standard adds : " Centre 

 sprigs in comb and white feathers (all indica- 

 tions of white)." 



The comb, that distinctive feature of the 

 Buttercup, is thus described : " Single as it 

 leaves the beak, single not to exceed three- 

 quarters of an inch, then spreading into a low 

 circle surmounted with numerous spikes. The 

 general form to be cup-shape, size moderate, 

 and serrations even and well defined." The 

 Americans state that the two spikes at rear of 

 comb should be broader than the rest. The 

 comb of the hen is very similar to the cock, but 

 of more modest dimensions. 



In carriage Buttercups are sprightly and 

 active as bespeaking good foragers, and the 

 long body and back sloping down from the 

 shoulders with tail of medium size carried at 

 an angle of 45 degrees, broad, well-rounded 

 breast, and well-set legs of moderate length 

 denote a useful fowl for general purposes, 

 suited either to free or confined range. 



The males, so far, appear nearer the 

 standard than the females, and for breeding 

 the latter Mr. W. J. Toozes gives the following 

 advice : " The first parts I look for in picking 

 out the future breeders of winning Sicilian 

 Buttercups are as follows: Starting with the 

 comb, I select birds possessing those with 

 smooth centres and free from sprigs, and — 

 most important — see that the breast colour 

 is quite clear without any markings. The 

 main tail feathers should be black with 

 greenish sheen, the legs and toes willowy 

 green, the ear-lobes red and white (not one 

 colour), and as a point to anticipate the future 

 English standard, the hen's back should be 

 a clear buff with clear black elongated 

 spangles." 



