358 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



ful inspection of the body, the breadth and length of the 

 back and breast sections, as a rule, furnishing" a good indi- 

 cation of what the bird will develop into when in full plumage. 

 It is well to bear in mind that an adult specimen exhibited at 

 an early show, albeit in full plumage and exhibited in excellent 

 condition, may be greatly inferior in color markings to one 

 heavy in molt. 



Typical Shape and Color. "Shape makes the breed, and 

 color the variety," is an old accepted belief among poultry 

 breeders which obviously makes types or shape all important 

 in a breed, and no judge can afford to sacrifice shape for 

 color alone. American poultry judges in most instances have 

 accepted and followed this belief, but in England the type 

 has not received the consideration at the hands of English 

 judges the Standard demands, a fact which has led progress- 

 ive poultry editors and breeders to issue warnings in the poultry 

 press, demanding that greater value be placed on type and lesser 

 consideration be given to color. 



The American Standard of Perfection in the Scale of 

 Points for the American classes, allows nearly an equal num- 

 ber of points for color and for shape, aside from comb, which 

 places each on an equal footing, consequently both must receive 

 the same consideration when specimens are judged at a poultry 

 show. But great care must be taken in balancing defects, 

 especially in varieties where color markings may be so strik- 

 ingly beautiful that the judge must accord to such their full 

 value always, no matter what the defects in shape may be. 

 To pass by a magnificently Penciled or Barred Plymouth Rock, 

 simply because it may have a short back or lean neck, is not 

 consistent with careful and sound judgment. 



The Standard demands that such consideration be given 

 to both shape and color, and what applies to Silver Penciled 

 Rocks, for instance, whether English or American bred, will 

 apply to all other varieties in the American, English, Mediter- 

 ranean, French or other Standard classes. The Standard rule 

 in applying the comparison system when judging typical shape, 

 reads : "In awarding prizes by comparison, judges must con- 

 sider carefully each and every section of the specimen and not 

 allow color alone to influence their decision. The vital im- 

 portance of typical shape is to be borne constantly in mind, 

 at the same time giving due consideration to color in all sec- 

 tions, including under-color." 



