Pile axd White Game. 291 



rich chestnut right up to the throat, running off to a white, but not pure on the thighs ; tail almost 

 a pure white ; eyes red ; legs yellow, white, or willow. 



" Piles breed true to colour, but now and then a cross of the Black-red is thrown in to give 

 hardness of feather ; but let me beg of all that cross in this way to destroy every Black-red produced 

 from this cross, for when it gets about the country it is most mischievous in the Black-red blood to 

 those that are deceived with it, taking all the rich bright colours away, and producing those soft, 

 mossy, mealy-coloured pullets and cockerels, with light reddish straw hackles and saddles, besides 

 a softness of feather, which are sometimes seen. I have detected and pointed out the cross at 

 shows to a few of our oldest breeders at times ; more especially once at Leeds, where a cockerel 

 of this description gained a cup, and when inquired into my doubts were proved correct : hence the 

 necessity of cooking all of the Reds which result from this cross, and only keeping the Piles. 

 " You can also get a very rich Pile by putting a Weedon hen to a White or Pile cock." 

 Our illustration represents the very best Pile cock we have seen for at least seven years. We 

 should have preferred yellow legs ; but with this exception we do not think there was a single 

 point to be desired. 



"WHITE GAME is a beautiful variety. When in a nice grass-run a whole flock looks well, 

 but when kept in confined spaces, and they get their feathers soiled, the beauty is gone, only 

 symmetry left ; and it is strange to see how few really grand and symmetrical Whites you find, 

 and fewer still with the closeness or hardness of feather that is desirable in Game fowls. Whites 

 were always looked upon as delicate, and few came off victorious in the pit ; so no care was taken 

 of them to improve either hardness of feather or style, which has been done in other breeds. 

 There is no doubt but they can be improved in both qualities, and there is really a good opening 

 at present for any one to go into the White Game breeding. I should select a really rich Red 

 Game cock, as short and hard in feather as possible, to cross in with ; kill all the Red chickens; 

 select then a White cockerel from this cross, and put to the White hens had previously, and 

 the White pullets from the cross to my pure White cocks. This is where Piles have gained so 

 much on the Whites : by the benefit of the Black-red cross, the feather is shorter and harder ; 

 better symmetry and hardier constitution are got, and altogether a much better bird. 



" To describe the White Game fowl, the one word White would do — head and hackle pure 

 white, body white (a least shade of yellow not a disqualification), tail pure white, breast white, legs 

 yellow or white, eyes red. The White Game hen everywhere white, but eyes, comb, and wattles, 

 which are all coral red ; and legs yellow or white. The reason I put yellow first for legs is that I 

 think it is a colour that harmonises better with the white than the same colour ; of course the beak 

 must match the legs. 



"BLACK GAME are not so greatly admired— only by the few that have kept them for 

 any purpose — although at one time they used to be kept for the pit in some districts, but not being 

 found so quick and active as most breeds, they were discarded, although ' game' to the death. The 

 colour is a most splendid black, of metallic brilliancy, shades of green and purple pervading the 

 whole body, with a coral-red face ; the legs dark willow or black. The hen also a pure glossy 

 black, with a red coral comb and wattles. I have often thought a cross from a dark Brown-red 

 hen would greatly improve this breed, both in style and hardness of feather, by acting on the same 

 principle as in my advice on the White Game, killing all the Brown-reds, and resemng nothing 

 but the Blacks. 



" These are about all the varieties usually exhibited, but we have many other local 



