PLYMOUTH ROCK STANDARD AND BREED BOOK 233 



the tendency of buff to lose color, would prefer that one sex or 

 the other in any mating should be a shade or two darker or 

 richer than that which is regarded as ideal or standard. Un- 

 doubtedly, if standard-colored specimens were backed with a 

 sufficiently long ancestry of like characteristics, standard-colored 

 specimens of both sexes would together form ideal matings. 



A Composite Variety. But as related in a previous chapter, 

 the Buff Plymouth Rocks, as well as most of our buff fowls, are 

 composites of different breeds, varieties and strains, obviously 

 of birds of different types and colors. Though type is once 

 established, as it is recognized to be in degree, yet color remains 

 to be established, and if that, too, is established in degree also, 

 both must be maintained and furthermore perfected. The trea- 

 tise on type has, however, preceded this chapter, and we may 

 deal now with color alone, which, from its composite origin, in- 

 herits faulty tendencies to overcome and offset which becomes 

 the special problem of the breeder. 



To Hold Color. One of the tendencies of buff color is to 

 become too light or "faded out," as it is often expressed by 

 breeders of buff varieties, a tendency that we readily understand 

 after a study of the ancestry of the variety. To offset this 



PLATE 66 



BUFF PLYMOUTH ROCK FEMALE 



Back and breast feathers. Illustrating the breeding value of ri'jh 

 buff-colored quill, though undercolor may be very pale buff. 



