116 Bit REDING AND EXHIBITION OF PlllZK POULTRY 



that peculiarity to the strain, which has now been for many 

 years firmly established, and breeds as true as any, though so 

 extremely artificial in its original " construction." 



Still further with regard to this curious breed. By de- 

 grees, owing to the breeding together of the Gold and Silver 

 varieties, the Silvers gradually acquired a yellowish creamy tint, 

 and pure white could not be found anywhere for many years. 

 But about the year 1875 there appeared from Scottish sources, 

 all of a sudden, Silvers of the most startling purity ; and 

 although the details have never been published, it has been as- 

 certained that the breed, complex and artificial as it is, had 

 been almost entirely remade. 



But, it may be said, if these principles are correct, it would 

 follow that the power of the breeder is almost unlimited. 

 And practically it is so : there are within certain limits hardly 

 any bounds to what may be effected by the scientific experi- 

 mentalist, if we only give him time. That so little has been 

 done is mainly because the principles themselves have been so 

 little understood, and most fanciers have been content to go on 

 with the established varieties as they are, without any attempt 

 to modify or improve them. There is another reason in the 

 utter want of attention in this country to anything but colour 

 of plumage and other " fancy " characteristics ; and we cannot 

 but think that our poultry shows have to some extent, by the 

 character of the judging, hindered the improvement of many 

 breeds. It will be readily admitted in theory that a breed of 

 fowls becomes more and more valuable as its capacity of pro- 

 ducing eggs is increased, and the quantity and quality of its 

 flesh are improved, with a small amount of bone and offal in 

 proportion. But, if we except the Dorking, which certainly is 

 judged to some extent as a table fowl, all this seems totally 

 lost sight of both by breeders and judges, and attention is fixed 

 exclusively upon colour, comb, face, and other equally fancy 

 " points." 



