150 DIFFERENT BREEDS OF POULTRY. 



more or less of black run through it ; secondaries white on outer 

 web, and partially black on inner web ; the coverts form a glossy 

 green-black bar across the wing. Clearness of the white, and 

 sharpness and density of black, are the chief points ; and straw- 

 colour, or any stain of brown or red, are great blemishes. At 

 one time some brown was valued for breeding dark pullets, 

 but careful breeding has now got rid of it or its necessity. 



The pullets or hens also have silvery hackles, thickly 

 striped in the middle with black. The rest of the plumage is 

 a ground of lightish iron-grey, marked or pencilled over with 

 what may range from darker grey to glossy black. (See 

 plate of Feathers, Nos. 6, 7, 8). It is particularly necessary 

 in a show-bird that the breast should be pencilled over as 

 closely and almost as darkly as the back, and this is now 

 general, though when this work was first written it was the 

 rare exception. The leg-feather should be pencilled like the 

 body, and also the fluff, if possible. 



It is curious to observe that there have been considerable 

 changes of fashion in the colour and marking of Dark Brahmas. 

 In the cock, the change has already been alluded to. In the 

 hens, there were formerly two schools of breeders only, one 

 following Mr. Boyle, which sought a pure steel-grey colour; 

 the other led by Mr. Lacy, which bred for a brown ground, 

 though far more pale than in Partridge Cochins. Gradually 

 the latter school lost ground, and it was recognised that the 

 colour should be pure grey. Still later there came in a rage 

 for very broad and dense Hack bands on a slightly brownish 

 ground, the effect being very rich, though most of the birds 

 shown thus were poor in size and shape, and never ought to 

 have been encouraged for that reason alone. It seems now 

 generally admitted that the proper colour for all Brahmas 

 is pure white, black, or grey, and the hens are now sought of 

 a nice medium colour, the pencilling as dark as it is possible to 

 get it, and moderately fine, on a dirty grey ground. 



