SILVER WYANDOTTES REMARKS. 15 



BREAST. This should be full and round; under-color slate, 

 web of feather white, and each feather distinctly and evenly laced 

 with black, the white increasing in size with the prominence of 

 breast. 



BODY. This is short, deep and round at the sides; the under- 

 color is slate, web of feather black, with a narrow white center 

 running into black, or black frosted with white, along the thighs. 

 The body is too short; a longer one would indicate greater value in 

 the line of egg-production. The fluff is full, and gives a heavy 

 appearance to the posterior; color of plumage is dark slate, pow- 

 dered with gray. 



WINGS. These are medium size; the primaries are black, with 

 lower web edged with white; secondaries black, with the outer half 

 of the lower web white; wing and shoulder coverts are dark slate in 

 under-color, the web white and heavily laced with black, the black 

 lacing growing wider over the wing-bow. 



TAIL. This is full and well spread at base; the color is black; 

 the greater coverts black; lesser coverts black, or black with white 

 centers, though usually slightly penciled with white. 



LEGS. These should be medium short, stout and well set 

 apart, the thighs covered with soft feathers, color black or black 

 powdered with gray; shanks rather short and stout, free from feath- 

 ers, and in color bright yellow; toes straight and well spread, and 

 same color as shanks. 



STANDARD WEIGHT. Hens six and a half pounds, pullets five 

 and a half pounds. 



REMARKS. 



We have adhered quite closely to Standard description in the 

 above, without using the same words, and, for all practical purposes, 

 it will aid the novice in committing to memory the standard re- 

 quirements of the breed under consideration, until such time as he 

 finds it necessary to mate, judge and prepare birds for exhibition and 

 sale, when a " Standard of Perfection " will be indispensible, so as 

 to have an authoritative work to guide him, not only in the culture 

 of Silver Wyandottes, but also in all other recognized breeds. 



One cannot, however, glean from the Standard an ideal of the 

 breed it describes. The facial appendages, color and marking of 

 plumage, legs, and, in fact, all points, are described quite minutely, 

 but the type of the breed no words can express sufficiently clear to 

 give a correct ideal. This is especially true of the Silver Wyandottes. 



