54 WYANDOTTES. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Some enterprising breeders have submitted a standard for 

 Black Wyandottes, to those interested, for approval and correction. 

 These standards are good enough substantially, so far as they go, 

 but, as they do not voice the sentiments of all interested in the 

 variety, they are, in a manner, useless to breeders, owing to the 

 uncertainty of leg color, and disqualifying clauses on under-color 

 and white in plumage. We are met by the same obstacles in giving 

 a detailed description of the variety, and, of course, no standard 

 would be reliable but that made under authority of the American 

 Poultry Association. It is certain, however, that the description 

 will be uniform with the other three varieties, and the only difference 

 will be that relating to color of plumage, color of legs, and, also, the 

 clause in disqualification, as mentioned before. 



The precedent that, practically, every black variety in the 

 Standard has dark shanks, and that two, at least, of said varieties 

 have had yellow legs, and, in the course of their breeding, it was 

 found fruitful of many serious obstacles and faults, will be taken 

 into consideration, and, although every lover of Wyandottes would 

 rather see the Blacks have yellow legs than dark ones, the best 

 interests of the variety, so far as breeding with better results, will 

 have much weight against yellow legs. The standard for Black 

 Leghorn legs is the one most likely to be adopted. 



THE MALE. 



In a general way, we will say to those who have no stand- 

 ard, and meditate breeding Black Wyandottes, that the plumage 

 should be a rich glossy black throughout, and preferable if it has 

 that metallic lustre and beetle sheen, so much admired in well-bred 

 Langshans. The head, short, crown broad and somewhat flat; 

 beak, dark horn color, shading to yellow at the point; eyes, bright 

 bay, large and clear; face, red; ear-lobes, bright red, and well 

 developed; comb, rose, low, top oval, and covered with points or 

 corrugations, terminating in a small spike which curves to the shape 

 of skull; wattles, bright red, medium length, and pendant; neck, 

 short, arched, and hackle abundant; back, short, flat and broad at 

 shoulders; saddle, broad, full, and rising with a concave sweep to 

 tail; breast, broad, full and round; body, short, deep and round at 

 the sides; fluff, full and abundant; wings, medium size, and neatly 

 folded; tail, well developed, and well spread at base; sickles, 



