140 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



wasted a year or two, though breeding from really good 

 stock,* we set ourselves to consider the points of the fowl, 

 and what had been found the comparative difficulty in 

 producing them? The first obvious fact was that the 

 plumage of this breed differed more than some in the two 

 sexes, that of the pullets being (at that date, years ago) far 

 more difficult to obtain than that of the cockerels, and the 

 most difficult point of all being a breast well pencilled up to 

 the throat, at that time really rare. The next most difficult 

 point then was a neat pea-comb, then size, then shape and 

 leg-feather. The last, however, in this breed seemed very 

 easy to get, a single mating often giving it ; but the 

 pencilling, and breast-marking especially, was very hard to 

 get ; the number of well-pencilled birds now which will breed 

 the same in turn, have been formed by this very method, 

 but did not then exist. Every reader will, we hope, see the 

 conclusion reached ; viz., to fasten attention chiefly on 

 breast-marking, and keep it there, paying such heed as 

 possible to other points, but never dropping this. A few 

 mistakes were made which ought to have been avoided 

 we will, therefore, rather say how we would now 

 proceed in starting a new yard to produce pullets for 

 exhibition. 



There should be two pens at least, even if only one good 

 hen or pullet could be afforded for each, pencilled as well as 

 possible to the throat, and with other points as well de- 

 veloped as can be afforded. The cockerels also should be of 

 the best pullet-stock possible, a point to be referred to more 

 fully presently. The number of hens should rather be made 

 up with other fowls whose eggs could be distinguished 



* Our very first birds, the first time shown (at Bristol) took first prize, 

 beating Mr. Boyle, the most successful exhibitor of that day. But the 

 produce didn't 1 



