1 6 WYANDOTTES. 



The white variety, however, is in better luck, since the White Wyan- 

 dotte Club has accepted old "Silver King "as the type for White 

 Wyandottes, as this bird was pronounced by judges and breeders as 

 the best representative of the race which has ever come before the 

 people. 



The Silver Wyandotte was given its present type because it 

 did not trench on that of the Plymouth Rock, Java, Dorking or 

 other middle-sized breeds. The combination of Hamburgs and 

 Dark Brahmas brought out its present type very nearly, and this 

 was considered the best from the early crosses. It is, therefore, a 

 modification of the American Dark Brahma type, with such toning 

 as we might expect from the Hamburg. The Standard is pretty 

 clear in most everything else, but the shape it cannot describe with 

 sufficient clearness to enable one to form a correct idea, or the 

 judge who depends solely on it. Judges may say, standard-makers 

 may say, the Silver should approach the Dark Brahma in shape. 

 This is not very clear, as some Dark Brahmas partake of a shape 

 between the Cochin and the Light Brahma, particularly English- 

 bred birds. The Silver Wyandotte male, in type and carriage, more 

 closely resembles the Brahma, but, of course, of a decidedly refined 

 nature, being sleeker and smarter, with a more clean-cut make up; 

 the female, however, does not closely resemble the Dark Brahma 

 hen, and, therefore, there is no true ideal to breed to. 



There is much improvement going on with regard to shape and 

 size of comb. Some English, as well as American, fanciers, have 

 urged the adoption of the Hamburg comb; but such a comb would 

 be unsuitable for a large breed, and for one with a small and flat 

 skull. The form of comb now seen on first-class specimens, and as 

 delineated in our chromo illustration, is fairly good, if breeders will 

 avoid breeding wide combs, which spread over the skull. We are 

 no more justified in breeding a Hamburg comb than a pea comb, 

 and it is better, for many reasons, that the breed should not follow 

 either, but add enough of the Hamburg to the pea comb to make a 

 neat, low rose, with a gentle curve from the nostrils to the back 

 of head. 



The novice will notice, when reading the Standard, the frequent 

 use of the word " medium," in describing length, width and size. This 

 is to be understood as meaning " mean " or middle state between 

 large and small, long and short. When understood, its use does 

 away with much verbosity, and that is the only point in its favor. 

 Although the Standard fairly well describes the Silver Wyandotte, 



