K-t THIS THAI' XEsT TKX.T BOOK 



merely because the great milker has a large udder, we are off the track 

 at the outset. 



We desire to know, not how much egg our prolific hen will lay in 

 one day, but how many days will there be in which she will give us 

 one egg. The size of the egg, though important, is secondary at this 

 time. A simple mathematical calculation will enable us to get an ap- 

 proximate idea of the number of eggs, that have become sufficiently ad- 

 vanced in growth to be affected by the length of the oviduct, that could 

 be present at one time. I am neither affirming' or denying' that a large 

 egg yield is only possible with a bird having a large and prominent ab- 

 domen or "egg basket." lean say. however, that I count my eggs 

 after they get into my basket and the size of the hen's basket has had 

 no apparent relation to the number of eggs that she would contribute 

 to mine. 



A contributor to Commercial Poultry affirmed that the typical shape 

 of the Leghorn would be found to be typical of the prolific hen. He 

 based his claim upon what he said was true with his Plymouth Rocks. 

 A several years use of trap nests had shown him that his most pro- 

 lific layers resembled the Leghorn in shape. If the -'egg- type' - or the 

 prolific type can be determined upon such slight evidence as that, then 

 we may expect a great many different egg types and a larger individual 

 supremacy among Leghorns than has yet been disclosed. 



All living birds are of the egg' type whether they are Leghorns, Os- 

 triches or English Sparrows. The prolific type of the domestic fowl 

 can be determined by suitably maintaining the bird and counting her 

 eggs. That this type will carry with it distinguishing marks that can 

 be seen with the eye or felt by the hand remains to be determined. At 

 present we know of no prolific type except such as is shown by the egg 

 producing tendency of habit of the individual. 



That prolific layers will usually have bodies longer than wide 1 be- 

 lieve. That uuprolitic layers will also present the same characteristic 

 1 also believe. 



••The prolific shape'" has very graciously adapted itself so as to include 

 a very large proportion of the hen family. That modifying this shape 

 excessively in order to obtain a distinguishing feature for some fancy 

 breed or strain would he likely to interfere with perfect development of 

 the vital organs and thus ruin the egg producing qualities of the -train 

 or breed seems reasonable. Xaturc abhors a monstrosity as well as a 

 vacuum. 



INDIVIDUAL MERIT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A 



BUYER. 



It is obvious to every buyer Hull individual excellence should deter- 

 mine the value of a bird. 



