THE ASIATICS. 



67 



is indulged in. Feather No. 1 in this group shows a 

 trace of lacing, but is not distinct enough. The penciling 

 runs into the ground color, and should be cut one point 

 Feather. No. 2 is so penciled as to practically destroy all 

 trace of lacing and should be cut one and one-half points. 

 Feather No. 3 is one of the small feathers taken from upper 

 part of wing bow: Like feather 1, it is not clear enough in 

 lacing and should be cut one point. 



TAIL. 



This section in the female, like that of the male, gives 

 the breeder more or less trouble in keeping it at the proper 

 length. A nice short tail is a wonderful help in rounding out 

 the back, while a high stiff one will mar the symmetry. 

 However, there is not so much trouble experienced in pro- 

 ducing good tails on females as on males. The Standard 

 says in describing the shape of this section: Short and 

 broad at base, well filled underneath with a profusion of 

 soft feathers and nearly enveloped in the ta.il coverts, which 

 help form the cushion. The tail in Fig. 6 is slightly over- 

 drawn; the tail proper should show at an angle of about 

 85 degrees, while the feathers in Fig. 6 would show they 

 grew out on almost a straight line. The point for the breed- 

 er to take into consideration is to breed the main tail feath- 

 ers as short as possible, with a profusion of coverts and 

 cushion feathers. In color the tail of a Partridge Cochin 

 female should be black, except the two highest main tail 

 feathers, which should be penciled. The penciling of the 

 two top feathers carries the handsome color effect from 

 comb to end of tail, but tail, like neck, is pretty hard to 

 keep free from penciling, when other sections are good in 

 color, and it is a question in my mind if penciling should 

 not be allowed in the main tail of Partridge Cochins, Indian 

 Games and Brown Leghorn females; but so long as the 

 Standard reads as it does, all we can do is to discount the 

 penciling. 



In feather 1 in Fig. 11 will be found a penciled feather 

 quite often met with in tails of well colored females. A 

 bird showing this amount of penciling in tail should be dis- 

 counted one point. Feather 2 is taken from down on the side 

 of tail, and only a trace of red appears. A tail like this 

 should be cut one-fourth point. Feather 3, like feather 1, 

 shows the penciling on both sides, also shows a streak of 



very light ashy color on surface, and should be discounted 

 one and one-half points. 



LEGS AND TOES. 



This section is not only important in shape, but in color 

 as well. Thighs, shanks and feet should be profusely feath- 

 ered, and the lacing on feathers should extend to the toes. 

 It is only within the past few years that good lacing on 

 body and fluff was considered wonderful, but with the great 

 improvement in mating we have to-day not only the hand- 

 some coloring in body and fluff, but on feet and toes as well. 

 In fact I have within the past three years found several fe- 

 males with foot feathering as well laced as Mr. Sewell has 



•3-ig i.3 



Defective Tail Feathers of the Female. 



shown in the chart. In shape improvement would be hard 

 to make, as Mr. Sewel] has portrayed one of our very choic- 

 est Buff pullets. She has a sufficient amount of feathers on 

 legs and toes, and the length of leg is in proportion to the 

 well rounded symmetrical body. T. HBWES. 



