The Breeds of Pig:,oxs, 185 



the colours. 



Almonds. — Why so called has lieen the subject 

 of contention time after time, but the generalh' 

 accepted idea is liiat it is so called from its ground 

 colour, and which, after all, seems the most natural. 



Common sense saj's the Almond is so-called 

 because its ground colour should resemble the colour 

 of the outer shell of the almond nut. This colour 

 should be rich and clear, as it is the distinctive pro- 

 perty dividing the Almond from other colours. This 

 colour begins to deepen and spread from an early 

 age. Few birds are broken in colour until the first 

 moult has been through, but some even in their nest 

 body feathers are ticked and spotted with black. 

 After the first moult these marks continue to increase 

 and grow larger. After the third, or second adult 

 moult, the bird is generally at its best, so far as 

 "spangling" or brokenness of colour is concerned. 

 The tail and flights of a matured specimen should be 

 of three distinct colours, black, j^ellow, and white, 

 the marking being clear and distinct, and not show- 

 ing any tendency to intermingle. I may say the 

 Almond hens are never so sharp or clear in spangling 

 as the cocks. 



MoTTLKS. — These, as I have said, are seldom 

 seen, but the}^ are indeed most beautiful, and highly 

 valued when they approach anywhere near the stan- 

 dard. One advantage the Mottles have over the 

 Almonds is that their beauty is more lasting. The 

 glory of the Almond is of a fleeting character, and no 

 sooner attains its summit than it begins to change 

 and go back, the bird getting too dark. Not so the 

 Mottle; its beauty lasts until death. The deep, rich 

 groimd colour of a good black Mottle, relieved with 

 evenly formed rose markings on shoulders, and a good 

 clear V on the back, is of the most fascinating and 

 enchanting character. 



Agates. — These are generally Reds and Yellows, 

 heavily splashed with white. They are inter-bred 

 with the Almonds, and are chiefly remarkable for the 

 fact that they excel the more highly valued Almond 



