134 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



The chief defects of the combs of females are illustrated as 

 follows: Plate 17, Figure 1, twisted comb or overlapping of 

 portions of the base. Figure 2, too deep and perhaps too thick 

 a base, also too few points. Figure 3, too long and top many 

 points, inclined to lean to one side, wrinkled in front. Figure 4, 

 too few points, a blade too long, too long a space in front of the 

 first serration. Figure 5, front view, same as preceding. Figure 

 6, turning to one side, too thin, indicating an aenemic condition. 



Head and Adjuncts. These sections differ in size only. 



Neck. In this section the feathers differ in character and 

 form, one of the most noticeable sex differences in most varieties. 

 In some breeds hen-feathered males are disqualified, the presence 

 or absence of long, narrow hackle feathers is one of the tests 

 that distinguish between properly feathered and hen-feathered 

 males. In shape, the neck of the female is shorter comparatively, 

 and not as heavy and is not as fully arched as those of the males. 



Back. Here, also, we find the same difference in the con- 

 struction of the male and female feather. The long feathers 

 from the saddle or back of a male, called expressively saddle- 

 hangers, are not found on females or hen-feathered males. (Hen- 

 feathered males occur only in a few breeds, and only sufficiently 

 often to be considered.) 



These differences of feather construction between males and 

 females creates also a different conformation of back in the two 

 sexes. 



The variation, however, is more of degree than kind. The 

 concave is not as sharp, as the back lacks the long, ornamental 

 saddle feathers and tail coverts of the male, and the concave 

 curve is not nearly as short. On this account and because of the 

 lower carriage of the tail, the body of the female appears longer 

 than that of the male, and the effect is that of a rather long, 

 broad, straight back, rising very gradually in a slightly depressed 

 incline to the tail. 



Tail. This section affords opportunity for distinction be- 

 tween male and female. The long, curving sickles, smaller 

 sickles, and tail coverts of the male are of a different character 

 from any feathers found on the female. The tail of the female 

 is carried at a five degree lower angle than with the male and 

 appears even lower because of the difference in character of the 

 tail furnishings. 



The tail may possess the same defects as the tail of the male, 

 but it should have the same good qualities ; namely, well spread 



