94 BREEDS OF POULTRY 
The Houdans are the most popular French breed of the general- 
purpose type. They are especially noted for heavy egg production, 
and furnish considerable meat of excellent quality. 
Fancy Breeds.—This group includes breeds and_ varieties 
kept and bred mainly for exhibition purposes. Most of these 
varieties carry peculiar and highly developed color patterns or 
plumage markings. Many fowls of this group are good layers. 
This quality might be intensified by selection and breeding. Many 
of them are capable of producing meat of most excellent quality. 
But there are special breeds better adapted to these purposes; 
and the fancy breeds have not attained wide distribution and are 
not common on farms. 
Those mentioned here are a few of the better known breeds 
representing this type. The varieties of the Polish breed have 
extremely fancy plumage, and a large crest on the top of the head. 
The exhibition and ornamental Games may also be grouped here. 
The Silkies, Sultans, and Frizzles are birds which are bred primarily 
for exhibition purposes. Each is of interest because of some pecu- 
liar feature. The Bantams are bred for fancy or ornamental pur- 
poses, as they contain few, if any, utility qualities. 
In this connection it must be understood that all breeds of 
poultry, regardless of their utility value, are bred for fancy points. 
There is an increasing tendency to select the best utility breeds 
for this purpose. This is a step in the right direction. The Wyan- 
dottes, Orpingtons, and Plymouth Rocks are useful breeds which 
are taking more prominent places in the large shows; this is result- 
ing in better quality and more fixed type in these breeds. 
Fancy Qualities —The term “fancy qualities’ is often used 
to mean purely show features. It is also used to describe standard- 
bred poultry. The latter use is the more correct, since it includes 
all requirements to represent the height of perfection from every 
standpoint. Certain breeders opposed to the work of the American 
Poultry Association often use the term “ fancy ” in such a way as 
to leave a misunderstanding as to.its exact meaning. All birds, 
if they are standard-bred, should possess the requirements of color 
and plumage markings for the best birds in their breed. In many 
cases to attain the intricate pattern and plumage requires careful 
selection and breeding. 
The term “ standard-bred ”’ covers the requirements of size, 
shape, and general conformation of body considered necessary or 
useful for market poultry, and the size and weight of body for egg 
