POULTRY. 189 



mens exhibited, were more embarrassed in awarding premiums 

 to this class than any other. As there seems to be great diver- 

 sity of opinion as to what constitutes the chief excellence or best 

 points in this favorite and valuable breed, it may be well to enu- 

 merate, somewhat specifically, the points deemed most impor- 

 tant by the London Poultry Club, (whose standard of excellence 

 in relation to all breeds has been adopted by the American 

 Poultry Club,) for the information of breeders : — 



GENERAL SHAPE OP ALL BRAHMAS. 



" Beak very strong, taper and well curved. Comb, pea, small, 

 low in front and firm on the head, without falling over on either 

 side, distinctly divided so as to have the appearance of three 

 small combs joined together in the lower part and back, the 

 largest in the middle, each part slightly and evenly serrated. 

 Head small and slender ; deaf ear large and pendant ; wattles 

 small and well rounded on the lower edge ; neck long, neatly 

 curved and slender near the head ; breast very full, broad and 

 round, and carried well forward ; thighs very large and strong, 

 covered with short fluffy feathers curving inward round the hock 

 so as to hide the joint from view ; vulture hocks, that is, with 

 hard, stiff feathers projecting in a straight line beyond the joint, 

 — an objection but not a disqualification ; legs rather strong and 

 large, standing well apart very abundantly feathered down the 

 outside to the end of the toes." 



The color of the light Brahmas, which are most extensively 

 bred in this country, is given as follows : — 



" Comb, face, deaf ear and wattles rich bright red ; head 

 white ; neck white, with a distinct black stripe down the centre 

 of each feather ; breast, under part of body and thighs, white ; 

 saddle, white striped with black ; wing bow and coverts white ; 

 wing primaries black ; wing secondaries white on outside ; web 

 black on inside ; web tail black ; tail coverts glossy green-black ; 

 lesser coverts silvered on the edge ; legs bright yellow ; feathers 

 white, slightly mottled with black." 



It will be seen from the above that pea combs are considered 

 the best. The single combs are not, however, a disqualification, 

 and the following enumeration of the points show that this ad- 

 vantage may be more than counterbalanced by other excellences. 



