34 WYANDOTTES. 



ifies the specimen. A blending of red and yellow, without appear- 

 ing in patches, should not be cut over one point. 



NECK. Should be short and well arched. The novice may not 

 understand what is meant by the word short, as applied to the neck 

 of the Wyandotte. It is short and thick in comparison with other 

 breeds of the American class, and the arch of the neck is more con- 

 spicuous on account of its shortness, and the hackle seems more 

 abundant by the sweep of curve. When long or wanting in curve, 

 it is cut one-half to one point; if the hackle be scant or short, it is 

 cut one-half to one point; if the neck plumage be smutty black, and 

 no distinct black stripe, it is cut two points; if the feathers have 

 not a metallic lustre or if striped with brown, there is a cut of one 

 to one and a half points, which can be added to the cut for smutty 

 hackle. If the lacing be wanting one-half or three-fourths on 

 feathers by reason of being black, it is cut one to two points; if the 

 color be white, that is, the hackles without black stripes, it is cut 

 two points; if in place of silvery white, the hackle be straw color or 

 yellow, it is cut one to two points. 



BACK. The back is short for a breed of the size of Wyandottes, 

 but compared with the length of the bird, it is medium. The back 

 has a flat appearance across the shoulders, owing to the neck being 

 short, and from the cape the downward slope is short, and the saddle 

 rises with a concave sweep to the tail. If the back be convexed or 

 reached, it is cut one-half to one and a half points, as in degree; if 

 the back be narrow and oval, when the wings are set low, it shows a 

 natural defect and injures symmetry, and such cases should be cut 

 at least one point. The defects in this section, as a rule, are not 

 many; long, round and narrow backs are quite common, but reached 

 backs are rare. Pinched saddle, is cut one-half to one point; long 

 backs, one half to one point; straight backs, one-half to one and a 

 half points. The want of fullness in cushion is more apparent in the 

 female, and is cut from one-half to one point. If the back be not 

 silver- white or silver-gray, with no black stripe in center of feathers, 

 it is cut one-half to one point; if the saddle feathers be tinged 

 with straw color or bronze or yellow or gray, it is cut from one-half 

 to two points; if the black be tinged with copper or gray, it is cut 

 from one-half to two points; if penciled white centers appear on the 

 backs of females, it is cut one-half point; if the white centers be dis- 

 colored, it is cut one-half to two points; slaty lacing is cut one-half 

 to two points. 



