THE AMERICAN STANDARD OF PERFECTION 257 



punishment than they were when the word had no 

 definite meaning. Formerly, no strict line could be 

 drawn between legitimate "grooming" and unfair cov- 

 ering of defects in any bird on exhibition. The principle 

 is given in the words, " any self-evident attempt to de- 

 ceive the judge." 



There are many pictorial cuts, a few in color, but 

 most of them in black and white. These are used both 

 to illustrate defects and to show forth excellencies of 

 sections, feathers, or entire birds. There is a diagram 

 showing every named section in a bird to be described 

 or judged. There are twenty-five such divisions of the 

 body and its covering. This diagram and the Glos- 

 sary of Technical Terms prepare the student to under- 

 stand what may be said in the body of the book. Cor- 

 respondence schools, or individual workers who may 

 wish to get out glossaries of their own, to illuminate their 

 text or other books, must make their own definitions. The 

 Standard Glossary comprises ten pages of special terms 

 used by poultrymen, many of which are illustrated, as 

 well as defined by words. There are several pages of 

 specific instructions to judges, both as to score card and 

 comparison judging. All general disqualifications ap- 

 pear in this part of the book, and are followed by a 

 statement of the exact discounts or "cuts" to be made 

 for all the common defects that may be expected to 

 show in fowls, as exhibited. For instance, counting 

 perfection — the ideal never attained — at one hundred, a 

 crooked breastbone may be cut from one half to two 

 points, according to the gravity of the fault ; irregular 

 barring in Plymouth Rocks receives a cut of from one 

 half to three times that amount wherever it appears, etc. 

 s 



