PLYMOUTH ROCK STANDARD AND BREED BOOK 265 



with the object of producing beautiful color markings or pencil- 

 ings in the feathers throughout the entire body. 



The Tail Feathers. Some of the most exquisitely penciled 

 females, especially in the Dark Brahmas, have gray markings in 

 the greater part of all the main-tail feathers. In some instances 

 these pencilings will show in the smaller sickles and coverts of 

 the male, as well as in the breast and body plumage. These same 

 defects will show in the Silver-Penciled Plymouth Rock males 

 that are bred strongly in the female producing line, and while 

 such are excellent for breeding pullets, they would not be likely 

 to win prizes in the show room. (T. F. McG.) 



One of the best examples of the possibility of penciling in 

 the neck plumage will be seen in the illustration of the Dark 

 Brahma female, in the Standard of Perfection of 1915. Less of 

 it is shown in the Silver-Penciled Plymouth Rock female of the 

 same Standard ; and while the Standard prescribes that the cen- 

 tral portion of the neck feathers of the female shall be black, 

 slightly penciled with gray, the illustrations themselves admit 

 that more of this may come than is described by the Standard 

 description. See illustration, Plate 80. 



(Note. There is a growing tendency among breeders of both 

 Silver-Penciled and Partridge varieties to allow the penciling in 

 the neck feathers of the female to become stronger and more 

 pronounced, provided they secure the desired penciling on the 

 feathers of the other sections. The art of breeding correct pen- 

 ciling is very similar with both colors, the Silver-Penciled and 

 the Partridge, and most of the lessons taught in either chapter 

 in this work may be applied to the breeding of either of the 

 penciled varieties. Ed.) 



