Schedule for J cdgixg Brahmas. 269 



defects solely, however, it becomes easy to provide for all these matters in one scale ; otherv\ise, and 

 in all essential proportions, the figures now given will be found closely to agree with those we framed 

 two years ago, further experience having, as we have seen, only confirmed their accuracy. 



SCHEDULE FOR JUDGING BRAHMAS. 



General Characteristics of Cock.— Head and AWk—Gcnexai appearance of head very short, small, and intelligent; 

 beak short, curved, and stout at the base ; comb triple or in three ridges, resembling three small combs, the centre being the 

 highest, and the whole small, low, and firm on the head, the centre ridge perfectly straight and neatly serrated ; wattles moderately 

 long, thin, and pendant ; deaf-ears large, and hanging below the wattles ; neck well-proportioned and finely cur\'ed, as in a spirited 

 horse, and very thickly furnished with long hackle, which should flow well over back and shoulders. Body — General shape 

 large and deep, but tight and compact in make ; back broad and short ; saddle very broad and large, with a gradual and decided 

 rise to the tail, so as to form no angle with that member ; wings larger than in Cochins, but still sm^ll and neatly tucked up, with 

 secondaries carried well under the primaries ; breast full, prominent, and reaching well down. Legs and Feet — Thighs large and 

 well-furnished with fluffy feathers, the hocks being entirely covered with soft curling feathers, but free from stiff quills (vulture-hock) 

 which are particularly objectionable ; shanks rather but not too short, thick, wide apart, and heavily feathered donn the outside, 

 the feathering to start out well from the hock, and continue to ends of outer and middle toes ; toes large, straight, and well spread 

 out. Tail — Much larger than in Cochins, but still small, carried nearly but not quite upright, and the top pair of feathers cur/ing 

 outwards as in the tail of the black-cock ; sickles very short, and not curving much do^vnwards, but lesser sickles and tail-coverts 

 very abundant, covering nearly the whole sides of the tail. Size — Very large, ranging from eleven pounds to fifteen pounds in 

 cocks, and eight pounds to eleven pounds in cockerels. General Appearance — Very symmetrical and compact. Carriage — Noble 

 and commanding, with the head carried very high. 



General Characteristics of Hen. — Head and Neck — General appearance of head, very small, peculiarly arch, and intelligent, 

 caused by a slight fulness over the eye, which should on no account tend to coarseness ; beak and head rather short, as in the cock ; 

 comb as small as possible, a large loose comb being particularly objectionable ; deaf-ears well developed ; wattles nicely rounded, 

 nest, and free from any folds ; neck short, very full in hackle, and free from twist in the hackle. Body — General shape square 

 and neat ; back wide, flat across, and short ; cushion broad and large, not convex or globular as in Cochins, but rising to 

 the tail ; wings moderate in size, and well tucked into the fluff and cushion-feathering ; breast very prominent, low down, and full. 

 Legs and Feet— As in the cock, but as short as possible. 7}///— Rather short, so as not to rise much above the extremity of the 

 cushion, and carried nearly upright. Size— Very large, ranging from eight pounds to thirteen pounds in hens, and six pounds to 

 nine pounds in pullets. Gneral Appca!-arice—Ueiisi\e and square, but neat and compact. Carriage— Ms.lvoTi\y and dignified, 

 both head and tail being well carried up. 



Colour of Light Brahmas.— /« iot/i Sexes — Beak a rich yellow, with or without a dark stripe. Comb, face, deaf-ears, and 

 wattles brilliant red, with as few spiky fea:hers as possible. Eyes pearl or red, red being preferable. Sh.inks a brilliant orange- 

 yellow. Colour of Ci>ir/4— Head silvery white ; hackle white, striped with black as distinctly as possible ; saddle-feathers either white 

 or white lightly striped with black ; tail and tail-coverts glossy green-black, except the two top feathers, which may or may not be 

 laced w ith white. Rest of the body a pearly surface-colour, with grey under-fluff seen when plumage is ruffled ; the secondaries being 

 white on lower edges and black on the inner, and primaries black. The shank-feathering white more or less mottled with black. 

 Colour of AV^— Head silvery white ; hackle white, heavily striped with bright intense black ; tail black, except the top pair, which 

 should be edged with white. Rest of the plumage white on the surface and grey in the under fluff, with wings and leg-feathers as in 

 the cock. [American fanciers admit a creamy tinge to the white ; but perfect birds should be of a pure and pearly colour all over.] 



Colour of Dark Brahmas — In both Sexes. — Beak yellow, yellow with a dark stripe, horn-colour, or black. Eyes pearl or 

 red, the latter preferable. Comb, face, deaf-ears, and wattles brilliant red, as little obscured by feathers as possible, the beard, or 

 feathers under throat, not to exceed moderation. Colour of Cock — Head silvery white ; hackle white, heavily and sharply striped 

 wth rich black, as free from white streak in centre as possible. Saddle-feathers the same. Back and shoulders silvery white, except 

 between the shoulders, where the feathers should be black laced with white. Upper wing-butts black ; bow silvery white ; bar, or 

 coverts, glossy black " shot " with green ; secondaries white on outside web, which is all that appears when wing is closed ; black on 

 inside ; the end of every feather black. Primaries black except a narrow white edge on outside web. Breast, under parts, and le^- 

 feather glossy black, as intense as possible, or black evenly and sharply mottled with small spots of white. Fluff black, or black laced 



or tipped with white. [All black in the under parts preferable for exhibition.] Tail black, richly " shot " or glossed with colour 



white not a disqualification, but very objectionable. Shanks a deep orange-yellow. Col.nir of Hen — Head and hackle silvery white 

 heavily and sharply striped with black, the marking to extend well over the head. Tail black, the top pair edged with grey. Rest 

 of the plumage a silver-grey, dull grey, or steel-grey ground-colour, accurately pencilled over in a crescentic form with steel grey, 

 blackish grey, or black ; the breast to be perfectly marked, and free from streaks up to the throat ; a chestnut tinge not objectionablo 

 if of a rich and not dingy character. The leg-feather to be pencilled as the body. Shanks deep yellow, with or without a dusky tin'T-e. 



