1 88 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



under parts black. The hen's head is silvery grey ; hackle 

 silver grey striped with black ; breast salmon, shading off to 

 grey on thighs ; rest of plumage generally, a silvery grey, 

 evenly pencilled over with darker grey, total effect being a 

 beautiful silvery or frosted kind of grey. The legs of both 

 sexes are willow ; eyes, bright red. 



This breed at present at least is occasionally bred 

 with the Black-red, putting one of the brightest-coloured 

 Black-red cocks to Duckwing hens. Occasionally also a 

 Duckwing cock is put to a Wheaten hen. The Black-red 

 cross used to be employed very frequently, and the result 

 was more crimson or claret colour in the backs of the cocks 

 than is tolerated now. At present the best breeders consider 

 once in half a dozen years quite enough for a Black-red 

 cross, which is chiefly used for hardness of feather ; and the 

 probability is that ultimately it will be entirely abandoned, 

 and the birds bred true. 



There has, in fact, always been a true breed, called 

 " Silver " Duckwings, which were never crossed. In this 

 pretty variety the cock's hackles and light parts are clear 

 white, free from straw, and the breast a purer or brighter 

 black ; the hen resembles the usual Duckwing, except for 

 rather a purer or more silvery colour. There is no doubt 

 the ordinary Duckwings arose from crossing this breed with 

 the Black-reds ; and as the Duckwings are bred more and 

 more without Black-red aid, the tendency will be, as it has 

 been, to return to the pristine purity of colour, or rather 

 freedom from colour, and predominance of pure black, white, 

 and grey shades. 



Pile Game may briefly be described as in general Black- 

 reds, with white substituted for black, but the red colours as 

 before. It is well known that black and white are con- 

 vertible colours, so that many black Cochins were originally 

 bred from whites, and white Minorcas have been bred from 



