228 



THE AMERICAN BREEDS OF POULTRY 



were mostly white; and there was scarcely any lacing in the tail 

 coverts. 



Light Brahma blood used. As time passed and fanciers caught 

 the vision of a White Wyandotte marked with the exquisite black 

 points of the improved Light Brahma, the possibilities of the Colum- 

 bian began to be taken seriously. It was apparent, however, that the 

 variety should be remade and advantage taken of the work that had 

 been put into the Light Brahma. 



Crosses with the Brahma were made, beginning late in the nineties 

 and continuing up until about 1910. J. H. Drevenstedt states that 

 John Evans, of Rhode Island, was the first to come out with Colum- 

 bians that had been reinforced with Brahma blood, "and that he pro- 

 duced some remarkably good pullets prior to 1900. Breeders every- 

 where went back to the Brahma, or secured stock from someone 

 who had. 



The pea comb of the Brahma was not as satisfactory a base as 

 a single comb would have been for producing the rose comb of the 

 Wyandotte. When a rose combed Wyandotte, either White or Colum- 

 bian, was bred on the pea comb Brahma, the combs produced were 



Columbian Wyandotte hen. The beautiful black tail coverts laced 

 with white are here seen to advantage. The striped neck is another 

 important section of the bird. The wing is opened to show the black 

 flight feathers properly edged with white. The entire body, back, 

 breast and wing bows are pure white on the surface. 



