PART SECOND. 



GOLDEN WYANDOTTES, 



ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 



It was evident from the hearty reception of the Silver Wyan- 

 dottes, under the name American Sebrights, that some of our enter- 

 prising fanciers would, ere long, begin to experiment with the view 

 of producing a Golden variety; one that would share public favor 

 and add another laurel to the brow of American skill. True, such 

 an idea was not original, seeing that several varieties of our standard 

 breeds, both laced and spangled, are plumed in a rich golden dress, 

 which adds much beauty and value to their respective families. 



There is no doubt that the idea of a Golden American Sebright 

 had entered the minds of several fanciers at an early day, and that 

 they proceeded, on different lines of crossing, to obtain the desired 

 object. However, it was reserved for Mr. Joseph McKeen, a vete- 

 ran fancier of Omro, Wis., to achieve marked success in originating 

 and bringing forward a Golden variety, with all the leading charac- 

 teristics of the Silver Wyandottes. 



The well-earned reputation which followed the introduction of 

 the Golden variety, after years of crossing other fowls to obtain a 

 product worthy of crossing on the American Sebrights, which would 

 insure desired points and fix them in the new variety, Mr. McKeen 

 accepts with becoming modesty; and while others have striven to 

 take shorter paths, by using Golden Hamburgs, Partridge Cochins, 

 Rose-Comb Leghorns, and, in some strains, Black-Breasted Red 

 Games, or Brown-Red Games, it is much to his credit that no jeal- 

 ousy exists on his part, or on the part of other workers in the same 

 direction, so far as we know. 



The Golden Wyandottes, like all new-made varieties, had not 

 been brought to that degree of excellence which the fancier judge 

 would call perfect, when the variety was admitted to the Standard. 

 We examined some specimens on exhibition, and although they 

 showed yellow on earlobes, faulty combs, dull yellow or bay ground 



