FIRST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 29 



needs to reconsider his judgment on shape perhaps to find a new standard upon 

 which to base his judgment. An elongated and rather weak looking beak is rarely if 

 ever found on a plump or stocky bird, while a specimen with a powerful, hawk like 

 beak is likely to be too heavily built all through to be symmetrical. The color of the 

 beak is of importance only as it harmonizes with the general color of the fowl, or 

 appeals to individual taste. 



Legs and Toes. In these again we have a good index of the general structure of a 

 specimen. If one has a fowl which seems to him good in shape of body, but with poor 

 legs either poor in shape or not smooth, strong and well developed he needs to recon- 

 sider his judgment on shape of body, and in most cases will find he was wrong. As to 

 color of leg, it will be found that whenever a certain color is given the preference by 

 fanciers, carelessness in selecting with reference to that color very soon results in a very 

 shabby looking lot of fowls. 



I have gone into the above points at more length than I had intended when the lessons for 

 this year were first mapped out, because within a few weeks it has been very pointedly brought 

 to my notice that a very great many beginners who are most interested in the "practical" 

 aspects of mating, need to be admonished not to neglect appearances. So I have tried by reitera- 

 tion in a little different form to give special emphasis to some general points which every 

 breeder of thoroughbred fowls ought to give some consideration. By giving a little attention 

 to these points a breeder will save himself disappointment in the coming seasons when he knows 

 enough about the finer qualities of the varieties he breeds to want to select more closely with 

 reference to them. The points I have indicated are points I think anyone can distinguish and 

 appreciate. Giving them consideration simply means guarding against serious faults. A good 

 many new breeders need to understand that while it would be not at all to their advantage to 

 go to the extreme in fancy points, it is just as much to their disadvantage to neglect them 

 altogether. Indeed, unless one gives reasonable attention to the looks of his fowls he loses half 

 the satisfaction of producing good ones, though producing only for eggs and meat. 



Mating White Varieties. 



The impression is general among breeders not producing stock for competition and among 

 beginners that white is easy to reproduce. This is true of the white commonly produced by such 

 breeders, but not of such a pure silvery white as the fancier works for. The ordinary white 

 fowl compares with a good white fowl about as a piece of unbleached muslin does with a piece 

 that is thoroughly bleached and white. 



The common color faults of white fowls are yellow distributed through the plumage, giving 

 it a creamy appearance in all sections, and sometimes becoming very brassy looking on the 

 backs of the males; and ticks or splotches of foreign color, as blacker red occurring irregularly 

 in the plumage. Very few fowls are absolutely free from these faults. Ticks or splotches are 

 most apt to occur in the specimens with whitest plumage, while creaminess is correlative 

 with the yellow legs, beak, and skin required in all the popular white varieties. 



While the Standard calls for an absolutely white fowl, many of the best breeders think it 

 better to allow a little creamy color throughout the plumage rather than take the lighter faded 

 yellow skin and legs seen on most very white birds. So in mating his white fowls the beginner 

 is wisest who does not try to get white regardless of other matters, but avoids pronounced 

 brassiness and creaminess, and foreign color in the stiff feathers where it cannot be removed 

 without disfiguring a bird. 



In the white varieties not having yellow legs and skin creaminess and brassiness are not so 

 prevalent, but as would be expected there' is likely to be a great deal more ticking and 

 blotches of the black, red, or brown. 



Hating Black Varieties. 



In black again we have a so-called solid color as difficult to produce to perfection as any 

 of the color combinations. The black oftenest seen is a dull brownish black. The black 

 desired is a jet black with a greenish sheen. The black oftenest obtained by fanciers trying to 



