SECTION VI . 



CHAPTER I. 

 PARTRIDGE PLYMOUTH ROCKS 



ORIGIN AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT 



THE rich, warm colors as exemplified by the red and black 

 color patterns of the Partridge varieties of our Standard- 

 bred fowls never fail to win the admiration of all lovers of 

 the beautiful in animal life. The combined warmth and richness 

 of the brilliant-red and glossy-black of Partridge males is quite 

 sufficient to arouse the interest of any person who has the slight- 

 est admiration for feathered pets. None the less attractive, and 

 to many even more so, are the unique and strikingly beautiful 

 markings of the female sex in the charming contrast of rich ma- 

 hogany-brown and black. 



Further consideration of the intricacies of this color pattern 

 increases the interest of the student at a pace which accelerates 

 the more rapidly as these complexities are understood. The 

 breeding problems, especially when breeding is pursued for any 

 length of lime and with any degree of success, become so all- 

 absorbing (hat many continue the fascinating work for life or 

 until some vital occurrence prevents. 



It is not strange, then, that we find admirers of several 

 breeds of acknowledged intrinsic merit, of which the Plymouth 

 Rock is an example, endeavoring to make what is known to be 

 serviceable, beautiful at the same time by transcribing the 

 color and markings of the oldest and best known exponent of 

 this particular type of beauty, the Partridge Cochin, to breeds of 

 different types and temperaments. Such was the incentive be- 

 hind the originators and early breeders of Partridge Plymouth 

 Rocks, though to accomplish this self-imposed task they adopted 

 different methods and used somewhat different means. 



The Origin. It is always difficult to say just who was the 

 first to begin the development of any breed, for in nearly all 

 instances several breeders are imbued with an idea at about the 



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