COLUMCIAX PLVMOL'TH ROCKS 



169 



and body of the bird sliould bo pure wliitc on the surtaee, against 

 which appears a soUd black, greenish-black tail, and a neck striped 

 with this same lustrous black. This laced neck is one of the crown- 

 ing glories of the bird, rivaled only by the big black tail coverts 

 edged with white, which join the back and tail together. These are 

 beauty features of this plumage, and the secret of their beauty lies 

 in sound black centers and clean white edging in each individual 

 feather. 



The saddle plumage of the male should be striped with black. 

 The striping, however, is more open than in the neck hackle; and 

 the saddle striping should not run all the way from the nnder-color 

 to the tip of feather, but should be more open and show more white. 

 If you get solid black stripes in the saddle, you have a bird from 

 which you cannot get clean wdiite backs on the pullets he sires. 



The back of the female should be white. Tail coverts, which 

 serve to join the white back to the tail, should be black laced about 

 with white. A white back and body plumage with two or perhaps 

 three rows of tail coverts that are considerably larger than the hackle 

 leathers, tail coverts that are broad and in which there is a full round 

 Mack center which is clearly laced with pure white, forms a most 

 beautiful combination. 



The color of the wings is of vital importance both for the show 

 pen and for breeding. Flights or primaries of both males and females 

 must be black: lower edge of feathers white. Secondaries, lower por- 

 tion white; upper portion black, the greater part of it black. 



In order to produce these 

 black points it is necessary- to 

 mate birds that are strongly 

 colored. The tendency of the 

 variety has been to run to pure 

 white bodies and weak black 

 points. In order to counteract 

 this tendency it is desirable to 

 save for breeding purposes fe- 

 males that have a heavy slate 

 under-color, even though they 

 =how some black ticking in 

 backs. (See Mating, chapter XX.) 

 Pullets may show black tick- 

 ing in backs and molt out clean 

 n-hen six or seven months old. 

 These are valuable for breeding. 

 The tendencj- in all black and 

 white varieties is for the color 

 to run out from generation to 



generation. You do not get Light Brahmas. A Parent' Variety of th. 

 Strength of color by breedmg Columbian Plymouth Rock, 



