PLYMOUTH ROCKS. 197 



and the head fine like that of the Cochin ; and the legs are 

 bright yellow and smooth (i.e., unfeathered). At first the 

 shape much resembled that of the Cochins, breast being very 

 cleticient ; but selection has remedied this, and the fowls now 

 are sought to be bred of good table shape, and are often of 

 very good model. The beak must be yellow. There are two 

 schools of feather-marking, one preferring broad dark bands of 

 almost black or blue-grey, the other breeding for much nar- 

 rower bands of dark and light grey. 



Founded notoriously upon a cross, the Plymouth Rock is, 

 like all breeds so founded in their early years, very hardy, 

 except that it has a mysterious tendency to weakness, gout, or 

 some affection in the feet and legs, why it is hard to say. The 

 colour was at first very uncertain, and the chief difficulty even 

 yet is to avoid black, white, red, or yellow in the plumage, 

 which must be the pure " cuckoo " grey. This is best effected 

 by matching rather dark birds with somewhat lighter ones, 

 rejecting cocks with coloured hackles or black sickles. The 

 beak is also apt to breed dark, which some judges disqualify, 

 to the great detriment of the breed, in our opinion. A good 

 breast should be laid great stress upon, and the fowl judged 

 mainly from the table point of view. 



The Plymouth Rock is a first-rate market fowl, except that 

 dealers dislike the yellow leg : in America, on the contrary, 

 yellow legs are preferred so do tastes differ ! Some strains 

 lire thick and even yellow in the skin, and such should be 

 avoided, as also should be a too leggy strain. From experi- 

 ments made, it appears that Rocks make the most rapid and 

 early growth of any chickens, except some strains of Dorking. 



A white variety is occasionally seen. 



LEGHORNS. There are two generally known varieties of 

 this fowl, the first to reach England being some whites sent 

 to Mr. Tegetmeier ; while a year or two afterwards the first 

 brown Leghorns were sent over to ourselves 



