28 POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



dividuals of the same breed and same type vary. There 

 are "star-boarders" in every flock, birds that live on the 

 thrift of others, possessing all the apparent external char- 

 acteristics of their breed, but lacking the ability to lay. 

 Whatever wonders modern breeders may have accomplished 

 in the making of new breeds they have not given us a clear 

 definition of egg type. So much has been accomplished 

 by the fancier in the way of color breeding during the 

 past fifty years that one is led to wonder what might have 

 been performed if breeders had as persistently and intel- 

 ligently bred for an egg type as they have for color types. 

 Practical Utility Classification. All breeds and vari- 

 eties of fowls may be grouped in four classes: 1, Egg 

 Breeds. 2, Meat Breeds. 3, General Purpose Breeds. 4, 

 Fancy Breeds. 



1. Egg Breeds. The most noteworthy characteristics 

 of the egg breeds are : Small size, active and nervous tem- 

 perament, early maturity, non-broodiness, good foraging 

 habits, and sensitiveness to cold. The principal represen- 

 tatives of the egg breeds are Leghorn, Minorca, Spanish, 

 Andalusian and Hamburg. All except the Hamburg, be- 

 long to the Mediterranean class. 



2. Meat breeds. Among the characteristics of the 

 meat breeds may be mentioned large size, gentleness in dis- 

 position, slowness in movement, poor foraging proclivities, 

 as a rule poor laying qualities, late maturity and persistent 

 broodiness. Brahmas, Cochins, and Langshans are the 

 principal meat breeds. 



3. General-purpose breeds. These are of medium size, 

 are good table fowls, fair layers, less active than the egg 

 breeds, but more so than the meat breeds, and are good 

 sitters and mothers. Plymouth Rocks, "Wyandottes, and 

 Rhode Island Reds belong to this class. 



4. Fancy breeds. Bantams of various varieties ; Polish 



