PENCILLED HAMBURG I IS. 179 



the whole length, the more even and sharply defined the 

 better. Wings principally white, but the lower wing-coverts 

 are often a little marked with black, showing a narrow indis- 

 tinct bar across the wing. The secondary quills have also a 

 glossy black spot on the end of each feather, which gives the 

 wing a black edging. The bar on the wings is not now sought 

 as formerly, and a white wing is preferred, the bird being now 

 in fact principally white, with a fine black and edged tail. 

 Such birds are useless to breed pullets from, however, which 

 needs more colour ; and in fact cocks are often bred now from 

 nearly white hens valueless for anything else. 



The most frequent fault in the hen is a spotted hackle 

 instead of a pure white. The rest of the body should have 

 each feather distinctly marked, or " pencilled " across with bars 

 of black, free from cloudiness, or, as it is called, "mossing." 

 (See " Feathers," No. 5.) The tail feathers should be pencilled 

 the same as the body ; but to get the quill feathers of the 

 wings so is rare, and a hen thus marked is unusually valuable. 

 General form very neat, and appearance remarkably sprightly. 



Pullets are bred from cocks too dark for exhibition, and 

 sometimes from hen-tailed cocks, which are not uncommon. 

 Only pullets usually bear showing, the marking usually getting 

 grizzled with age ; a hen which does preserve it well is un- 

 usually valuable for breeding. 



GOLDEN-PENCILLED. The form of this breed is the same as 

 the preceding variety, and the black markings are generally 

 similar, only grounded upon a rich golden bay colour instead 

 of a pure white. The cock's tail should be black, the sickles 

 and side feathers edged with bronze ; but tails bronzed all 

 over are often seen. The colour of the cock is always much 

 darker than that of the hen, generally approaching a rich 

 chestnut. 



In all pencilled Hamburghs the value chiefly depends on 

 the exactness and definition of the markings, which ought to 



