42 THE BIRDS 



Under the term " miscellaneous " come the fancy breeds. 

 This class includes numerous types which are especially 

 distinguished by plumage of fancy or peculiar color; for 

 example, the Polish, the Hamburg, the Sultan, and the 

 Bantam. These birds are not raised for their commercial 

 value, but chiefly as pets, and in some cases for show pur- 

 poses. 



Of all the birds named in the utility classification the 

 Leghorn ranks first as a producer of white market eggs. The 

 Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, and Wyandotte rank 

 preeminent when both eggs and meat arc desired, or when 

 a chicken for dual purposes is the object. The Brahmas and 

 Langshans are leaders when a bird of extremely heavy 

 weight, with a full round body, is demanded. 



Common Farm Types. The average domestic fowl, as it 

 is found on poultry and general farms, is represented by 

 one of the following types: Mixed or mongrel birds, 

 cross bred birds, and pure or standard birds. The mixed 

 or mongrel is the type prevailing on farms. These have been 

 crossed or mixed in their breeding, for many generations. 

 They vary greatly both in plumage pattern and body shape, 

 and also in their ability to produce eggs, but they are essen- 

 tially mongrel or impure, as their name implies. Mongrel 

 birds possess no superiority, in fact they are inferior to pure 

 bred birds for any object. 



Cross bred birds are the result of mating two pure bred 

 birds; for example, the Barred Plymouth Rock female and 

 the Rhode Island Red male, the offspring being called cross 

 bred. Cross bred birds are often produced for some definite 

 purpose. Where roasters and capons are in demand, cross 

 breeding is profitable commercially. Pure bred fowls are 

 used each year to secure the new cross. The first generation 

 after the cross will run quite uniformly, but cross bred birds 

 should not be used for breeding, as the offspring is apt to 

 become more and more impure and less uniform. 



