a 



-58 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



so mingled that it is difficult to proceed in any other way. In all varieties of fowls there are found 

 some strains which produce better cockerels than pullets, and vice versa. Of course, it is so in 

 Hamburghs also ; and if the fancier has sufficient room no doubt he will find it to his advantage 

 to breed from two sets. For instance, if he finds a pen breed capital cocks but only middling 

 pullets, it will be better to keep this set of birds as they are, it being far better, and perhaps harder, 

 to breed really good birds of even one sex, than middling birds of both. It is therefore well worth 

 little patience, and when you have once got a set of birds together that produces first-class 

 chickens, then stick to that set. All experience will confirm this ; and with all my own, taking 

 Hamburghs as they are at the present day, I do not know that I can give any other rule, which is 

 that by which I breed my own fowls. We never now breed from the Yorkshire Pheasant if we can 



possibly help it. 



" I will now state what is my idea of a perfect Silver-spangled cock, beginning with colour, as 



that is of the most importance. The ground-colour must be a clear silvery white, perfectly free 



from yellow tinge. I speak, of course, concerning birds in full and perfect plumage ; as very 



many birds at the end of the season, if they have been exposed to the weather and sun, will become 



yellow. The spangles should be a rich satiny green-black, and their form (on all those parts of the 



body of the cock which show the full size, as, for instance, the breast and tail) as round as possible. 



The disposition of the markings is as follows : breast well and boldly spangled from the throat 



down to the thighs and fluff, black fluff being an especial abomination. The larger the spangles 



are the better, provided only that a sufficiency of white is shown, that is, if, looking at the 



breast, both black and white appear distinctly. In some the spangles are so large that they 



overlap, and give the breast the appearance of being black ; this, of course, is a fault ; the spots 



should be as large and round as possible, but so as to show the white between. The neck-hackle is 



white, but if spotted at the bottom all the better. Back and saddle-hackles should be well spotted 



with black. The bars on the wing, formed by the large spangles on the end of the primary and 



secondary wing-coverts, are two in number, and should be bold and regular ; these bars are one ol 



the most cardinal points. Above the bars, or the wing-bow as it is called, should also be well 



spotted ; it can scarcely be called spangling, as the feathers in this part of the cock are different to 



the hen's, being long and nariow. This remark also applies to the back and saddle ; I therefore use 



the word spot to express the marking, instead of spangle (see Fig. 83). The ' stepping ' on the wing 



secondaries should also be well defined — that is, each feather should have a very bold crescentic 



spangle at the end, which gives an appearance of black steps. The tail to be clear white, with a 



large bold spangle at the tips of the feathers ; though a little colour in the hanging or side-feathers 



is not objectionable, provided the sickles and secondaries are clear. The comb should be even, 



firmly set on the head, long, and moderately broad, full of ' work ' or points, free from hollow in the 



centre, and ending in a long pike slightly pointing upwards. The beak should be horn-colour, 



ear-lobes a clear white, smooth, and as nearly round as possible ; face red, quite free from white ; 



and eyes, in this variety, a dark hazel. The legs are slaty blue. As regards shape and carriage, 



the neck should be nicely arched, with very full hackle falling well on to the shoulders ; the breast 



full, broad, and prominent ; back a moderate length, broad and level across, not round or up at one 



side ; tail full, the sickles long, broad, and well arched, and the side or furnishing feathers nicely 



arched also, the whole to be gracefully carried, not squirrel-fashion, but very slightly drooping 



behind the perpendicular line, and to be evenly set on, not carried on either side. The whole 



carriage to be graceful, jaunty, and cheerful. Size, say about five pounds, but this is not of great 



moment, provided he is not very small. 



" The hen should be boldly and evenly spangled throughout, the spangles being round and 



