SILVER WYANDOTTES MATING. 23 



black. Males from such a mating should be killed as broilers. The 

 standard colored pullets from such a mating will make good mates 

 for standard-described male for mating No. i." 



The best mating, all things considered, is medium colored 

 females and the male showing small white centers, one that is called 

 a dark cockerel. There will be enough of color in him to give the 

 female offspring standard color, and the males will be just right for 

 breeding. We have placed much stress on color, because the lacing 

 should be metallic black. Endeavor to breed out penciling, if it 

 appears. If the color is secured in both sexes, one has achieved the 

 most valuable and important point; coarse and wide combs, and the 

 absence of the double wing-bar, may be the next effort to improve. 



GENERAL MATING. This is to be considered in its proper 

 sense, for we cannot be too careful in the selection of our sires and 

 dams. Do not, if you can possibly avoid it, mate light colored 

 males; their offspring cannot be trusted, though with certain mat- 

 ings they may be standard; a watchful care and selection is needed 

 for several years, no matter how fine they may appear. The males 

 from a light sire, if used at all, though showing standard color, 

 should be mated with dark hens, for the reason that he controls the 

 color, and in the second or third generation is apt to transmit the 

 lightness of his sire. 



The reason that Mr. Felch and other experienced writers give 

 such mating as No. 3, is that some breeders may not have dark 

 males, but plenty of dark females, and that, owing to one cause or 

 another, had not, at breeding time, dark or even medium light males, 

 and were obliged to use the best they had. A breed so popular as 

 the Silver Wyandottes, and in the hands of experienced and inex- 

 perienced persons, must be expected to breed in every way but the 

 most desirable. The oldest of our breeds produce a large per cent, 

 of non-standard birds, and every spring there is more or less selec- 

 tion and skill necessary to breed them to standard requirements. 



Of course, the novice is aware that the males and females men- 

 tioned in these matings as off in standard color, are desirable in 

 other points, and if of proper color and lacing would be good birds 

 and scale high. This should be understood by the young beginner, 

 and if the male or female show any deformity of comb too large, 

 or following the form of the Hamburg, Dominique, or Dorking, or 

 other flagrant faults, and off in color, too such birds are not fit to 

 breed from; but if other points are fairly good, the comb or other 

 fault can be improved by mating one or more with small combs of 



