BREEDS AND VARIETIES 



feathers over the rump as they tend to keep up too 

 dark a body color in the female. On the other hand 

 too bright or light a color in the male or exhibition 

 female will produce females which are too light in 

 color. Drakes with light olive colored bills must be 

 avoided as these will have a tendency to produce 

 offspring which show too much yellow in the fe- 

 males' bills, and clear yellow bills constitute a dis- 

 qualification. In the females solid yellow bills, fawn 

 colored breasts and absence of penciling must be 

 iavoided. Females which are dark or nearly black 

 over the rump are good breeders as they tend to 

 keep up the ground color of the body and tail. 



The Rouen shows some tendency to fade in color. 

 This is evidenced first on the tips of the wings. The 

 fading will also show in the fluff of drakes. The 

 drakes of this breed and likewise of the Gray Call 

 and the Mallard show a peculiar behavior with re- 

 spect to the color of their plumage. About June 1 

 the drakes moult, losing their characteristic male 

 adult plumage and the new plumage is practically 

 that of the female. This female plumage is retained 

 until bout October when they gradually regain their 

 normal winter male plumage. Young Rouens of both 

 sexes have female plumage until the last moult which 

 occurs at about four or five months of age, when the 

 drakes assume the adult male plumage. The sex 

 of the young Rouens can, however, be told by the 

 difference in the color of the bills. 



The Cayuga. The Cayuga is much like the other 



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