THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



not prove " ringy " on account of the V-shape 

 marking. 



The bars on the opposite sides of the quill 

 not matching, but breaking at the quill, is an 

 old, persistent habit of the " cookoo " or Domi- 

 nique color, which in some poorly-bred speci- 

 mens repeats itself nearly all over the bird. 

 With all the good specimens to be found at 

 our best breeders' yards at the present, this 

 blemish, when found throughout the plumage, 

 stamps the individual as a very cheap bird. 

 While we are mentioning the common faults 

 and cheapness of this irregularity of marking, 

 we would not wish to convey to the mind of 

 any novice the idea that perfectly barred speci- 

 mens are obtainable. The first prize New 

 York hen, shown last winter (December, 

 1907), by Chas. H. Welles, probably came as 

 near to perfection in color as has ever been 

 shown in America, and an offer even of $1,000 

 did not tempt him to part with her, but he pre- 

 ferred rather to keep her for breeding. 



The " shaft " or quill must be the same color 

 340 



