10 Jlly, 1919.] Siartliuj llic FoaUri/ Farm. 395 



example, there are other points besides colour in the Rhode Island Red, 

 and because a bird has black feathers she is not necessarily a Black 

 Orpin^on. Yet in the case of some of the birds entered in recent 

 competitions it Avould appear that some such quality wa.s in itself the 

 owner's accepted standard. It is agreeable, therefore, to note a distinct 

 improvement in the type of birds entered this year in the Burnley 

 competitions. 



Activity in birds is always a good indication. Those first off the 

 perch in the morning are the last to retire at night, and after foraging 

 and scratching about all day they go to roost with full crops. 



During the past few years the practice of handling birds to deter- 

 mine the amount of abdominal development, quality of pelvic bones, 

 &c., has become general throughout the State, and whilst this is of 

 some value to the experienced breeder, it is to a certain extent a 

 handicap to the novice, who may fail to make due allowance for 

 condition as regards moult, or lay, and consequently reject a really good 

 bird. 



About a couple of years ago the Avriter, by way of an experiment, 

 went through a shed containing between 500 and 600 White Leghorns 

 after 11 o'clock one night, .selecting about 70 or thereabouts in the 

 dark on " handling " alone. These were put aside in a smaller shed, and 

 re-examined again at dawn. The result was an instructive failure, as 

 owing to various defects (constitution and other points being purposely 

 overlooked in the pver-night handling) barely half were subsequently 

 put in the breeding pens. Fully 75 per cent, of the value of the bird 

 must be decided by inspection " on the ground," the remaining 25 per 

 cent, being ample to allow for the handling test. 



The following standard is recommended for selecting both layers and 

 breeders : — 



GrENERAL ApjfEARANCE. — Bright, activc, and healthy. The first essential 

 a well-developed vigorous constitution, giving evidence of 

 ability to transmit similar. qualities. 



Head.^ — Rather long in light breeds, and lean, narrowing somewhat at 

 the back of the skull. Heavy breeds proportionately shorter 

 in length of skull, but fractionally deeper. 



Eyes. — Full, round, prominent, and bright. Colour rich orange red, 

 except in the case of certain breeds, such as Black Orpingtons, 

 Minorcas, Langshans, &c., when the eyes should be such a 

 dark brown as to appear black. The space from eye to nostril, 

 particularly in heavy birds, should be short, so as to present 

 " shrunken face." 



Face. — The skin round the eye should be bright and clean and as free 

 as possible from face feathering. 



Comb. — Thin, and fine in texture, thickening as little as possible 

 towards the base. 



Wattles. — Thin, and of the finest possible texture. 



Neck. — Fine, and fairly long. 



Body. — Long, deep, and wedge-shaped, similar to that of a good milch 

 cow, wide across the saddle. 



Breast Bojnte. — Straight and fine. 



