158 BREEDS. 



cry of a " Sister of Mercy," and abolish at ouce 

 this barbarous remnant of antiquity? 



The Duchwing and Black-breasted Red are the 

 two most esteemed varieties. The points of the 

 former (small size being essential) are: Cock — 

 Breast, black; tail, black and sickle-feathered; 

 neck and saddle hackles, silvery white ; face, red ; 

 head, thin and long; heak, curved. The lower 

 wing coverts of the male bird, which is always the 

 most marked and brilliant in plumage (giving, 

 in fact, the name to the breed), should be marked 

 with blue, forming a bar across the wing. 



Hen — Breast, robin colour; iody, ash grey; 

 hackle, silvery; legs vary in colour, white are 

 much coveted, but very rare. 



Black-breasted Red. 



Cock — Breast, black; neck and saddle hackles, 

 bright orange-red ; back, brown-red ; tail, black. 



Hen — general colour, chestnut-brown; hackle, 

 pale buff, edged with black ; breast, deep fawn; 

 body and wing coverts, partridge colour. 



Each amateur has his own predilection as to 



