224 "^"^ Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



as we have described pullets much too light would be produced ; but such is not the case if the 

 strains can be at all depended upon. In all cases the pencilling on the hens must be very dark, 

 almost if not quite black, and the breast especially well covered with solid pencilling — this last 

 being most important of all. 



Starting with such dissimilar pens for breeding the different sexes, it will be very desirable to 

 amalgamate them into one, which shall breed both sexes in a satisfactory manner. This can 

 certainly be done ; but it will take a few years to effect it. It will best be commenced by selecting 

 well-marked pullets, very heavy and solid — indeed black, in the pencilling, but with a comparatively 

 clear brown ground-colour, and mating them with those cocks from the cock-breeding strain which 

 show a medium margin-colour but have the densest stripes in the hackles. Much will depend upon 

 getting rid of any white in the shaft of the cock's hackles, and upon choosing for stock-birds only 

 those which are sharply marked in the lesser tail-coverts, with good dark-hcadcd as well as dark- 

 breasted hens ; but by carefully selecting these points a strain may at length be formed which will 

 breed a large proportion of good pullets with a very fair number of exhibition cockerels, most of 

 which last will have hackles of a very deep orange-red colour, approaching in front to a rich red. 



For the following remarks we are indebted to Mr. Hewitt, who wrote them in reply to a query. 

 They will not only confirm what we have said as to the marking now approved by the best judges, 

 but give valuable instruction of their own to those who attempt the breeding of this difficult variety 

 of Cochins. It may be as well to add, for the sake of those who have lately entered the poultry- 

 fancy, and therefore only know Mr. Hewitt as its most valued judge, that he was for many years a 

 skilled Cochin breeder. 



" I certainly do not myself like the light-coloured shaft in the feather you speak of, as such 

 marked hens very rarely produce cocks clearly listed (striped) on the hackle and saddle-feathers, 

 or of a good solid black on either the throat or fluff-feathers. These hens are generally tawny or 

 ' foxy-headed ; ' that is, the crown of the head, and sometimes the uppermost throat-feathers, are 

 mostly without pencilling, and of a ground-colour (whether it be marked a little, or not even at all) 

 very similar to a fox or hare behind the ears. Hence such birds are well known in the fancy as 

 ' foxy-headed hens.' Whether or not they be streaked on their body-feathers, I am decidedly 

 opposed to these birds ; for from a goodly number I bred many years back, and from constant 

 attention to the result in the case of other breeders of many years' experience, I know beyond any 

 doubt that these tawny-headed hens always breed cocks ruddy-feathered on the thighs and throat, 

 than which nothing can be more objectionable. Again, the cocks are usually quite light and plain- 

 coloured in the hackles and saddle-feathers, whilst even the shoulders have no intensity of colour ; 

 and of course such ' foxy ' hens breed ' chips of the old block ' as regards their own sex. Really 

 good hens are alike to the wattles, and nearly so even ov(r the head to the very nostrils ; that is, 

 pencilled all over with dark colour as on the body, leg-feathers included. Such birds are very 

 attractive in colour, and much admired even by persons who do not as a rule care for show fowls." 



Really first-class Partridge Cochins are very beautiful in the show-pen. The saddle-hackles 

 of a first-rate cock, especially, show a hard and "waxy" lustre which only the Game fowl can 

 surpass ; and were more good birds bred and shown, we doubt if any variety would surpass this in 

 popularity. For many years leg-feather has been more wanting in this breed of Cochins than in 

 any other ; but during the last two seasons there has been an evident improvement in this respect, 

 and we have lately had an opportunity of seeing some pullets which can hardly be surpassed in all 

 the features of good Cochins. 



The cock portrayed was in most respects a very good specimen of his class, which is perhaps 

 rarely equal to the Buffs in general style and make; though, as already remarked, there are 



