TURKEYS— THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



11 



proper the out Is one-half to one. Where the white outside 

 lacing is mixed with gray or brown the out is one-half to 

 one and one-half. Where the coverts fail to show a clear 

 edging, the out is one-half to one. If mixed with brown or a 

 dirty gray, the out is one-half to one and a half. A tail that 

 shows a decided edging of brown or red should be severely 

 discounted in the show room and be discarded from the 

 breeding pen, for it shows an outside cross with the wild 

 turkey, and is not, in color, a pure bronze. 



On page 24 in Fig. 3 is shown a half-tone made from a 

 photograph of the tail of the same bird that is represented 

 in Fig. 2. This illustration shows the reader what remark- 

 ably good color Mr. Bell has secured in his breeding stock. 

 The tracing of the barring on the tail is not so distinct as 

 that on the chart, at the same time you can trace it by a 

 careful inspection of the photographs, and the outside edging 

 of white is as fine as the writer has ever seen. 



LEGS AND TOES. 



This section, while not valued high in the scale of 

 points, is really of considerable importance both to the com- 

 mercial and fancy breeder. The standard gives the legs and 

 toes a valuation of five points, and describes them in shape 

 as follows: "Thighs long and stout; shanks large, long and 

 strong; toes straight and strong." 



Once more we call your attention to Fig. 1. Here you 

 will find the pair of legs that the standard describes. Fig. 1 

 is meant to represent a full grown, up to weight cock bird, 

 and under him are just such legs as the judge should find 

 under all large, well-balanced specimens. In color the thighs 

 should be the same as the lower breast, although less rich 

 and decided. The shanks in young birds should be dark, 

 approaching black. In adult birds they are usually of a 

 pinkish hue or flesh color. Toes, same as shanks. How- 

 ever, the toes in matured specimens show less of pink as a 

 rule than the leg proper. 



In shape the legs should stand well apart, giving the 

 specimen a broad, massive appearance when viewed from 

 the front. The toes should be straight and well spread. The 

 legs should be of fair length so as to hold the specimen well 

 up in the air, but not so' long as to make the bird look leggy; 

 at the same time they should be a trifle longer than medium. 

 If the legs are small in bone, giving the bird a feminine ap- 



pearance, the out is one-half to one. If the legs are too 

 short or too long, the out is one-half to one and one-half. If 

 set too close together, the out is one. If knock-kneed, the 

 out is two. If the toes are crooked, one-half to one. If the 

 ends of the toes are missing, the out is one-half to two. If 

 the-, legs are in bad condition, that is, scaly or soiled, the 

 out is one-half to one. If off in color, the out is one-half to 

 one and one-half, as in degree. 



BRONZE TURKEY FEMALE. 



In Fig. 3 is shown the outline of a Bronze turkey female 

 that for shape and markings in all sections has never been 

 surpassed by any drawing that we have had the pleasure of 

 seeing. Mr. Sewell has done himself great credit in the exe- 

 cution of this chart. It is one of his masterpieces as the 

 world's foremost delineator of fowls. 



It is not necessary for us to go into extensive detail in 

 describing the different sections of the female Bronze turkey, 

 as the shape of the male and female is alike, except that 

 the cock has a more masculine look throughout. 



What we have said in regard to color, markings and 

 shape of the male will apply equally as well to the female, 

 the only exception being on back and breast. In these sec- 

 tions instead of a rich, bronzy surface we should find on the 

 outside of feathers a narrow edging of dull white or gray. A 

 common defect in females is a brown or snuff color that 

 sometimes traces on outer edge to the white lacing on the 

 feathers of the back and breast. When this off-color appears 

 it should be discounted one-half to two, as in degree. An- 

 other section that is more liable to show the brown or snuff- 

 colored edging on females than on males is the back of the 

 neck. Quite often they will show a stripe of brown and this 

 defect should be discounted one-half to two, as in degree. 



It is not to be expected that we shall obtain as brilliant 

 color on the wings and tails of females as we do on males, 

 but our aim is to mate together each year the very best of 

 the flock until such time as we find on them the same bril- 

 liant color on wings and tail coverts as we do on our best 

 exhibition males. I believe that if the amateur will study 

 carefully the description of defects and our system of plac- 

 ing a valuation on same, together with the two charts, he 

 will be pretty well prepared to select and also mate his best 

 specimens. THEO. HEWES. 



