242 POULTRY BREEDING 
female mated to him should be standard in color and very 
distinctly barred to the skin. Very few breeders make 
what is called a ‘“‘middle mating” in mating Barred Plym- 
outh Rocks, but such matings produce too many culls, 
although it must be said that they produce a few very 
fine birds. Such a mating is made with medium-dark 
hens and medium-light cocks, the object being to get 
good chicks of both sexes. Both parents should be per- 
fect in comb and color of eyes and shanks. The eye 
should be distinctly red and the skin yellow. Avoid hens 
with willow-colored shanks or those with a number of 
blue spots on the shanks. Light Brahmas are now bred 
by double mating by our best breeders. The standard 
says the primaries shall be black and white, black to pre- 
dominate. Judges almost invariably prefer the primaries 
almost entirely black and a prize often hangs on this 
point. 
In selecting breeding stock choose those birds which 
are strong in this respect in the wing. The tail also 
should be greenish black, except the coverts, which should 
be distinctly laced with white. Be very particular that 
the combs are as near as possible according to standard 
requirements, especially in the females. In every part of 
the plumage where black is called for in the standard 
select birds strong in that part, the black being a brilliant 
clear black without dullness or rustiness. The skull 
should be flat and wide, the eyebrows overhanging. The 
neck should be medium in length, not as long as the 
Langshan nor as short as the Cochin. Take birds with 
full, round breast, wide back and great depth of body. 
Buff fowls are difficult to breed, as the buff color is a 
hard one to hold. Either black and white is likely to 
appear in the tail and primaries. Select males of a clear 
