ing much prominence to poultry matters, and new breeders are thus being 

 created daily. These days, when new breeders take up poultry raising 

 they become interested in popular breeds, and do not take up the "has- 

 beens." Consequently those worthy breeds that are making a mark now, 

 such as Anconas are very pronouncedly doing, are the ones in demand. 

 It is worthy of note that those breeders who experiment with Anconas 

 along side of other breeds, almost invariable retain Anconas and discard 

 the less profitable ones. It is very, very rarely that a breeder of this var- 

 iety gives up the breed, unless he quits the poultry business entirely. 



The appearance of Anconas is very pleasing to the fancier. They are 

 mottled black and white; the background being of black, and the white is 

 a V-shaped tip on the end of about 20 per cent, of the feathers. The black 

 on the males has a greenish luster. The legs and beak are yellow, with 

 slight shadings, the comb and wattles bright red and ear lobes white or 

 creamy. They are active, alert, bright eyed, proud in carriage and tame. 

 Anconas are native to the eastern coast of Italy, and derive their name 

 from the city and province of Ancona, one of the geographical divisions of 

 The Marches. They have been pure bred in their native land for centuries 

 and no history of their origin is obtainable. If there is any mixture of 

 other blood in them there is no knowledge of the fact, as great pains and 

 expense have been exercised to trace their earliest history, and nothing 

 can be ascertained except that they have been bred as now for generations 

 in and around Ancona, and nothing more is known of them in their native 

 clime. 



Baby Anconas are canary colored, and their backs are black. They 

 are very hardy, and develope rapidly. They never lose their neat and 

 sleek appearance, and are always well feathered. 



While there are both single and rose comb Anconas, there is but one 

 variety of color. No attempt is made to breed them in a multiplicity 

 of hues, such as red, buff, brown, etc. 



They were admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1895. 

 Many of the leading breeders have imported some high class stock from 

 Europe but it is now conceded that the breeders of the United States have 

 perfected Anconas until little is left to be desired, and it would be more 

 consistent for American breeders to export now rather than import 

 them. 



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