POULTRY BREEDING. 269 



sheets of foolscap size. In parallel columns there is space 

 provided in which to set over against each chick band number 

 (a) the adult band number of the same individual and (b) the 

 mating number of the mating from which that individual origin- 

 ated. The need for this index is as follows: Suppose one 

 picks up a chick on the range with a particular band number 

 and desires to know its pedigree. The question which imme- 

 diately presents itself is: "What was the mating number of 

 the mating from which this chick arose?" It obviously would 

 be a great task to hunt through all the mating sheets until one 

 came upon this chick band number. But if there is arranged 

 an index in which the chick band numbers are arranged in con- 

 secutive order, and having in parallel columns the mating num- 

 ber of the mating from which each chick arose it will clearly be 

 possible to turn very quickly to the mating sheet corresponding 

 to any individual chick number. Having the proper mating 

 sheet in hand it is the simplest of matters, as has been shown 

 above, to trace the entire pedigree. The mating number in this 

 index are most conveniently entered at the time of hatching. 

 The adult numbers are entered when the bands are changed. 



3. The "adult-mating" index. In this index the adult band 

 numbers of all birds are arranged in columns in consecutive 

 order. In parallel columns is put the mating number from 

 which each bird arose. This index is only useful for special 

 purposes. Ordinarily its purpose will be served by the descrip- 

 tive catalogue sheets. 



It will be seen that, with these indices and the mating sheets 

 described above, from whatever standpoint one approaches the 

 records with the desire of looking out the pedigree of any bird 

 the task will be found easy. If one starts with the chick to 

 look out the pedigree the point of departure is the "chick-adult- 

 mating" index. This index refers to the proper mating sheet. 

 If one starts from an adult bird either the "adult-mating" index 

 or the descriptive catalogue refers again to the proper mating 

 number. The mating sheets themselves are arranged in the 

 book in consecutive order so that to turn to a given mating 

 sheet is no more trouble than to turn to any given page of a 

 book. 



