15G DIFFERENT BREEDS OF POULTRY. 



the stern, which must be carried well above the hocks, not let 

 down between them. Saddle hackles close and short; tail 

 narrow and rather short in the sickle feathers, which should be 

 rather together, or a whip-tail as it is called, each one just 

 about clearing its neighbour, but not spread more, very 

 moderately raised. Wings strong and not too long, carried 

 " free," with points covering the thighs. Legs and thighs are 

 now desired long, the shins neither very flat (flat-shinned) nor 

 very convex, but medium convexity. Shanks cleanly scaled, 

 and set on firmly. Spurs low, feet flat, with toes well spread 

 out down on the ground, the hind toe particularly coming well 

 out flat ; for it to spring high, and drop to the ground behind, is 

 being " duck-footed." The whole body when felt or " handled " 

 to feel as hard as a board nearly. The hen is of the same make 

 in proportion. The lowering brow and prominent shoulders of 

 the Malay must be particularly avoided. 



The four principal colours now seen at exhibitions are known 

 as Black-breasted Reds, Brown-breasted Reds, Duck wings, and 

 Piles. 



In the Black-red cocks the colour is as follows : The 

 hackles of the head and neck are bright orange-red, the saddle- 

 hackles being about the same colour ; the back, wing-bow, and 

 shoulder coverts rich crimson or claret, shading off into orange 

 on the saddle. The breast, thighs, and under parts dense black, 

 the wing-bar and tail black with steel-blue reflections. The 

 secondaries of the wings clear bay, with a black spot on the 

 ends. The most difficult point is to get the bright colour 

 without any brown or rust among the black of the under parts. 

 Darker and duller reds are much more free from this fault, but 

 not so much valued in the show-pen. The hen has a golden 

 hackle striped with black ; the breast salmon-red or reddish- 

 fawn, shading off to ashy-grey on the thighs ; back, wings, 

 and upper feathers of tail brown, covered over with small 

 partridge marking, free from coarse pencilling. The difficulty 



