322 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



correspond more closely to the description of neck and tail- 

 coverts than when not so proportioned. 



The Back. The back proper of both sexes is white on the 

 surface. The importance placed upon this requirement is em- 

 phasized by the color disqualifications for this section in both 

 sexes, as two out of the three disqualifications named apply to 

 the back only of male or female. "One or more solid black or 

 brown feathers on surface of the back of females ; positive black 

 spots prevalent in web of feathers of back except slight dark or 

 black stripes in saddle near tail of males or in cape of either 

 sex ;" these requirements must give the reader a very clear idea 

 of the importance of a clear white surface in this section, that is, 

 the entire back of female from the rear of the cape to the front 

 of the tail-coverts ; and the same for males, except for the slight 

 dark striping in lower part of the saddle hanger, "covering the 

 root and sides of the tail." 



The clause which requires this particular form of saddle 

 striping in those feathers that cover root and sides of tail is a 

 new one that was first introduced in the 1915 Standard. It was 

 not found in the 1910 Revised Edition. A clause of similar im- 

 port is found in both the 1898 and 1905 Editions, as follows in 

 the latter, relating to Light Brahmas, the plumage of which is 

 acknowledged to be the plumage after which that of the Colum- 

 bian is patterened in all details, except leg plumage, which has 

 been, of course, obliterated. "Saddle white, except where saddle 

 hangers take on the character of tail-coverts which, if black in 

 the web and laced with white, shall not be considered defective ;" 

 which, though not actually demanding black stripes in the rear 

 and lower saddle feathers, clearly permitted them, and unques- 

 tionably for the reason that is advanced for requiring the same 

 now, namely : that better black points, especially the tail-coverts, 

 may be obtained in both sexes, and a more perfect blending of 

 back and tail color is thereby obtained. 



That such saddle striping in the males will and does produce 

 the black feather or feathers that are pronouncedly spotted with 

 black or dark color approaching black in the back of the 

 female, most of the best authorities deny; that is, if the char- 

 acter of such black striping is as described in the Standard, 

 "with a narrow V-shaped black stripe at the end of each feather, 

 tapering to a point near its lower extremity." Obviously a 

 "V-shaped black stripe" is not the solid, lustrous, greenish-black 

 stripe of the hackle. This description would signify a pointed 



