BLACK WYANDOTTES HISTORY. 51 



dark legs, agreeably with standard requirements; but, if yellow legs 

 be the exception, and not the rule, after eight or ten years breeding 

 in a direct line, then, we say, dark legs should be the standard 

 color the natural color, and the easier color to produce. It is by 

 no means impossible to breed and maintain yellow legs on Black 

 Wyandottes. as many Black Leghorns in Italy have yellow legs, and 

 that, too, without special efforts in breeding; but we have noticed, 

 at the same time, that white in wings, tail and under-color almost 

 invariably accompanied yellow legs. Some of the native Black 

 Games of India, notably the Pulligars have yellow legs, and forty 

 years ago many of the Black Pit Games in Great Britain had yellow 

 legs. Yellow is a tropical color, and yellow or tawny legs prevail in 

 Southern Asia among domestic fowls. Fanciers have made greater 

 and more difficult changes than yellow legs and have been suc- 

 cessful. 



It would help the culture of Black Wyandottes if breeders were 

 in accord on the question of yellow legs and disqualifications, as it 

 would save many otherwise good birds being put to the block for 

 light under-color, discolored hackles, and white in wings or tail, 

 as in the breeding of Black Cochins some years ago. This discord 

 on the question of leg color, will work injury to the variety and dis- 

 courage many from taking them up, as there is no assurance, at pres- 

 ent, of a final adoption of one in preference to the other, though it 

 is confidently surmised that the standard adopted will be for dark 

 legs; that is, of the color of Black Cochins unless outside pressure 

 strongly prevail on the advisability of its adopting yellow legs, as 

 being more in accord with other members of the family, and being 

 more popular. 



True, the advocates for dark legs on Black Wyandottes, have 

 better grounds for their preference and can appeal to nature and 

 precedent, and how the change from yellow to dark has benefited 

 other black varieties and removed the recurring obstacles which fol- 

 lowed their breeding. A compromise can be readily effected, if they 

 cannot agree on yellow legs to accept willow, or yellowish black, 

 the standard for Black Leghorns. The few English fanciers who 

 have imported Black Wyandottes are in favor of yellow legs. It is 

 not a strong point to adduce some black varieties, as an illustration 

 to show that Black Wyandottes ought to have dark legs, as the 

 material of which they are partly composed reverts to dark or dusky 

 legs in the ancestors, perhaps for hundreds of years. There are 

 exceptions to this rule, and Black Wyaridottes may succeed, though 



