i8 Barred and White Plymouth Rocks. 



breeders unanimously agree. Some English authorities say white 

 and black ; some American breeders say, primarily white with blue 

 black, another says grayish white and blue black, others say bluish 

 gray with dark stone color, and many say silvery blue with blue 

 black, and so on. 



The Standard describes the color in one clause. If an isolated 

 feather is placed on white paper, it shows almost white and black ; 

 in regular and natural position on the fowl the plumage is bluish 

 gray barred with dark blue, and where they overlap, as they do on 

 the back, the plumage shows darker blue. The female shows a 

 darker shade on the wings and tail than the male. Among Eastern 

 breeders, the dark female was the choice for breeding, to avoid white 

 under color and tendency to white in wings and tail, which were 

 almost sure to appear in the offspring when light females were used. 

 But by an independent though concerted action on the part of the 

 leading breeders, lighter plumaged females have been gradually pro- 

 duced which are now in demand for breeding purposes, thus remov- 

 ing the many obstacles which heretofore impeded their use as 

 breeders. 



The color and barring to produce the bluish tinge so much 

 desired and so highly prized in Standard Plymouth Rock birds will 

 be better described by illustrations. 



Feather No. i. 



No. r shows the Standard feather ; it appears to have the old 

 described colors — dark blue and bluish gray bars alternately. The 

 value and beauty of such feathers, consist in the depth of barring to 



