PARTRIDGE U'YANDOTTES. 



37 



Wings. 



In color the wing of the Partridge Wyandotte male Is 

 not, as a rule, very defective— in fact, it is sel- 

 dom that this section is cut to exceed \{> to 1 

 point. 



The Standard describes It as: "Primaries, 

 black, lower edge red; secondaries, black, the 

 outside web red, terminating with black at the 

 end of each feather; coverts, greenish black, 

 forming a well defined bar of this color across 

 the wing when folded; bows, red; fronts, black; 

 under color, dark slate." 



About the only serious defect we find 

 in color of this section is white primaries and 

 purple barring in the wing bar. This purple 

 barring Is found in all parti-colored breeds 

 where there Is a solid black bar across this 

 section, and when it is found should be dis- 

 counted from % to 1 point. When white ap- 

 pears in primaries or secondaries, the out is 

 from V; to IVj, as in degree. 



We have here illustrated two wings that 

 will materially assist the reader in forming an 

 idea as to the valuation. A wing like Pi^. 40 

 should be discounted 1 point, while Pig. 41 

 should be discounted 2 points, as it shows en- 

 tirely too much white, and should this color be 

 mingled with red or black, the defect would be 

 even more severe, making it 3 points for the 

 same defect. 



Tail. 



The Standard describes the tail of the Par- 

 tridge Wyandotte male as: "Black; sickles and coverts, 

 glossy greenish-black; lesser coverts, glossy black, but may 

 be edged with red." 



color is too light, approaching white or light gray, the out 

 is from % to I14. 



Pig. 41. 

 As a rule there is but little fault to find with the color 

 of the male, except as referred to, but in wing bows we 

 occasionally find a purple barring across the sickles or tail 

 coverts, and when this defect appears the. section should 

 be discounted from % to 1% points, as in degree. If any 

 white shows at base of tail, out is from % to 2, as in degree. 



Breast. 



The Standard descriies this section as "Glossy black; 

 under color, dark slat€." In looking over the best specimens 

 that we find in the exhibition room we doubt if the word 

 "glossy" should not be eliminated from this description, 

 as the color in reality is dead black, and not glossy black, as 

 described, as it is that portion of the bird protected from 

 the sunlight and very seldom shows glossy sheen to 

 plumage such as we find on other sections of the bird. 

 However, this color is easy to understand, and any color 

 aside from black would be considered a defect. It is quite 

 often that we find specimens that have a trace of pullet- 

 breeding blood in them that show red checks or splotches 

 on surface, and especially up along the sides. This color 

 should be discounted from % to 2, as in degree, and where 

 purple barring shows up the out Is from % to 1. 



Another defect, while not common ip show birds, is 

 sometimes met with, is a light shade in under color, which 

 the Standard describes as dark slate. Where the under 



Fig. 40. 



Body and Fluff. 



The Standard describes these sections as 

 "Black, or black slightly tinged with red; under 

 color, dark slate." 



There will be occasionally a slight 

 tinge of red on this color, but we do not 

 fancy it. Neither do we believe the Standard- 

 makers should allow it to appear without dis- 

 count. Especially is this true of upper part 

 of body in front of legs. This part of the 

 body, in our opinion, should be solid black, the 

 same as in the breast, and where red or foreign 

 color appears, it should be discounted. On the 

 other hand, that part of the body known as the 

 posterior portion, near vent, should, in our opin- 

 ion, be slightly penciled or tinged with a red- 

 dish oast. 



The legs and toes of this popular breed 

 should be yellow, but it is seldom that we ever 

 find a specimen that would not, according to 

 this description, be discounted from % to 1% 

 points. This has always been a characteristic 

 of the Partridge Wyandottes — in fact, all the 

 parti-colored birds with a laced plumage — and 

 while it is true that we occasionally find speci- 

 mens that are exceptionally good in this direc- 

 tion, it is a question if we do not get better 

 color where we allow a tinge of slate or willow 

 to appear on the front of the legs of our males. 

 However, since the Standard has described 

 them as yellow, we will consider it as such, and 

 any tinge of willow or slate should be discounted from % 

 to 1%, as in degree. 



In scoring the shape of the Silver Wyandotte male, 

 we omitted two defects that are sometimes met with 



that should be under- 

 stood by breeders and 

 judges, and we call 

 them up at this time 

 and Illustrate them in 

 Fig. 41a. 



The defects referred 

 to are knock-knees and 

 crooked toes, and are 

 defects found in near- 

 ly every show in the 

 country. Sometimes the 

 crooked toes are caused 

 by an injury, but more 

 . times they are a nat- 

 ural defect and should 

 l^-^be discounted from % 

 >Sto 1^^ points, as in de- 

 gree. Knock-knees are 

 rn eyesore in the show 

 room, as well as in the 



Pig. 41a. 



