1 86 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



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 very 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 par- 

 ticularly 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, but the general formation 

 closely resembles that breed, and is as full in stature. 



The four principal colours now seen at exhibitions are 

 known as Black-breasted Reds, Brown-breasted Reds, 

 Duckwings, 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 diffi- 

 culty here is to keep free from red or foxy colour, or 



