724. Michael F. Guyer 
back of the head, is of medium length and tapers off towards the 
shoulders. The tail is short and drooping, the voice shrill and 
harsh. Neither male nor female bears spurs nor is the metatarsus 
feathered. ‘The color of the plumage in general is a blackish or 
gray ground, marked with numerous conspicuous white dots. 
The feathers frequently appear to have more or less of a bluish 
or purplish wash. Certain feathers of the wings may show trans- 
verse white bars instead of the dots. 
The black langshan cock (Fig. 2, Plate I) is of large size, weigh- 
ing about ten pounds. ‘The head, of medium size, with bright 
red face, bears a rather large, upright red comb, and well devel- 
oped, pendant earlobes, likewise red. Rounded red wattles of 
medium length are also present. ‘The neck is of medium length 
and well feathered, the hackles flowing well over the shoulders. 
The beak is stout at the base and well curved, dark brown in color 
shading to a pinkish hue near the lower edge. ‘The sickles and 
tail coverts are long. “The metatarsus is feathered down the outer 
side and in all males of the species bears a well developed spur. 
Furthermore, the outer toe on each foot is feathered to its extrem- 
ity. In color, the neck, back, saddle, sickles and coverts are a 
glossy metallic black with greenish sheen; the breast, primaries, 
secondaries, tail, fluff, shank and toe feathers are of a duller black. 
The hybrids (Figs. 3, 4, Plate I) in weight and size, approximate 
more closely to the male parent, averaging eight pounds in weight 
when three years old. In general configuration of the body they 
are about intermediate between the chicken and the guinea. The 
plumage and ornamentation of the hybrids, however, is more 
generalized than that of either parent. The head shows no trace 
of the elaborate ornaments of either the mother or the father but 
is plainly feathered clear to the beak. A slight trace of the guinea’s 
bluish white face is still discernible in the immediate region of the 
eyes where a small area is bare except for a sprinkling of fine hair- — 
like feathers. The head is long and rather cylindrical and merges 
into the long neck in such a way as to give it a decidedly snake- 
like suggestiveness. The beak, in color and shape, resembles 
more that of the guinea but is of somewhat greater curvature. 
The feathers of the neck and head are narrower on the whole and 
