8 



TURKEYS— THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



across the feather, with a narrow edging of white or gray.'' 

 The standard description of the shape of this section shows 

 clearly that there was an error either in the committee's re- 

 port on back shape, or some part of their report on back was 

 lost before it was presented at the Boston meeting, for in 

 body section the standard calls for a long, deep body, which 

 would require at least a medium length of back. 



In color of body and fluff the description is not so good. 

 We find that the most brilliantly colored specimens show the 

 tracing of wbite or gray on the outer edge from the thighs 

 back; in fact, the feather as shown on the thigh of Fig. 1 

 should have this white edge the same as is shown on the 

 breast of the female. See chart of female (Fig. 3). 



If the body is too short or too narrow, the out is one- 

 half to two, as in degree. If flat, failing to show a well 

 rounded outline, the cut is one-half to one. If too shallow 

 through, that is, not deep enough from back to point of keel 

 bono, the out is one-half to two, as in degree. If keel is 

 crooked or slightly twisted, the out is one-half to one; if 

 badly twisted or so much out of line that the crookedness 



the thighs. With this exception we hesitate to criticise the 

 chart in any way as an ideal outline. 



WINGS. 



So far as color is concerned this is the most important 

 of all the sections, and it is seldom that a specimen passes 

 without a discount. The standard valuation is four for 

 shape and six for color. Owing to the importance of this 

 section from the color standpoint, the revision committee 

 tried to add more points to color, so as to subdivide the sec- 

 tion, but it was found that six points were all that could be 

 given without injuring some other section. 



We again call attention to chart (Fig. 1) and ask the 

 reader to study carefully the wing feathers as illustrated by 

 Mr. Sewell. In order to help the reader to get a clear under- 

 standing of this important section, we give the standard 

 wording, and ask the reader to follow Mr. Sewell's drawing 

 from wing bow to the end of the flight feathers. The stand- 

 ard says, "Bows black, with a brilliant bronzy or greenish 



The Pride of the Farm. 



can be seen when viewed from the outside, the out should 

 be the limit allowed by the standard, namely, three points. 



While on this section, permit me to call the attention 

 of the amateur to the fact that while crooked breast bones do 

 not disqualify and will not invariably reappear in the pro- 

 geny, we would not advise their use if you can avoid it, as 

 this as well as other defects will be bred into the young if 

 used repeatedly in the breeding pen. 



In color the body is usually good, although the fluff is 

 liable to run into a snuff color, bordering on a dingy brown. 

 This defect in color should be discounted one-half to one 

 and one-half points. If the white band fails to show up at 

 the end of the feather, leaving the feather black, the out is 

 one point. 



If the body does not extend well out behind the legs, but 

 cuts off short in this region, giving the bird the appearance 

 of having too much weight in front of the legs, the out is 

 one-half to one and one-half. In our chart (Fig. 1) we would 

 add a trifle more to the length and depth of the body behind 



lustre. Primaries, each feather evenly and distinctly 

 barred across with parallel bars of black and white extend- 

 ing the entire length of the feather. Secondaries, black or 

 dark brown, evenly and regularly barred, crossed with bars 

 of white or gray, color changing to a bronzy brown as the 

 center of the back is approached, with but little admixture 

 of white. An edging of white or brown in the secondaries 

 is very objectionable. Coverts, a beautiful rich bronze, the 

 feathers terminating in a wide black band, forming a broad 

 bronzy band across the wings when folded, and separated 

 from the primaries by a glossy black, ribbon-like mark 

 formed by the ends of the coverts." 



Note carefully the tracing of the bronze on wing bow. 

 Up near the top the feathers are solid black, but as they ap- 

 proach the wing-bar the bronze edging deepens, giving the 

 wing when viewed in the sunlight the color of burnished 

 gold. The description of wings might go farther and add 

 that the last bar on the primaries and secondaries should 

 end with black. This is correct, at any rate, and it will be 



