Something of Special Interest to Silver Wyandotte Breeders. 



In the group of feathers on the opposite page 

 we have illustrated colors that under test do 

 not fade, or, to make it plain, to the beginner, 

 the style of lacing that can be depended upon 

 to stand the test of moult and still retain the 

 pure white centers and clean outer lacing of 

 black. 



We ask that you study this plate carefully, 

 as we consider it of more value to the breed- 

 ers of Silver and Golden Wyandottes than all 

 other illustrations in the book combined. 



We have here the foundation to the struc- 

 ture that the prominent breeders of this coun- 

 try and Europe have spent a quarter of a cen- 

 tury in building, and, realizing fully the impor- 

 tance of these feathers as an absolutely safe 

 foundation to build upon, we have taken noth- 

 ing for granted in these sections. 



The editor has personally visited the yards 

 of the breeders where the birds are bred. I 

 know the hens they were selected from, have 

 studied them carefully as pullets In their first 

 adult plumage, then again as hens in their 

 second year and still again as hens three years 

 old. Have also had the pleasure of handling 

 two of them while in moult, right at a time 

 if there is any change It would show, and at 

 no time in the life of these females has the 

 plumage faded or shown the black, splotchy 

 appearance in white that is so prominent in 

 so many Silver Wyandotte females. 



When viewing these feathers please bear in 

 mind that they were selected from hens four 

 years old. Bands Nos. 336 and 318. 



The feathers were furnished us by Messrs. 

 A. and E. Tacbox, Yorkville, 111., who bred the 

 specimens and still own them — in fact, it is 

 doubtful if one could get a price on some of 

 these females, as they figure they are the re- 

 sult of a life's work and are a foundation for 

 the future. 



In selecting these feathers we have made no 

 effort to take the best individual feathers from 

 the several sections, but we are giving our 

 readers the benefit of each just as they show on 

 the females, and we call special attention to 

 them, both as to surface and under color, as it 

 is from such feathers and no other that we can 

 give reliable information as to just how much 

 black and white can be depended upon to re- 

 produce year after year and hold the color both 

 as pullets and hens and reproduce itself in 

 their offspring, and for the guidance of our 

 readers we call attention to the color of the 

 pullets bred from these individual hens, show- 

 ing that like will produce like when properly 



mated, and a sufficient amount of the blood of 

 the strain retained. 



The editor is under many obligations to 

 Messrs. A. and E. Tarbox, and we know the 

 Wyandotte breeders of this country will appre- 

 ciate what they are doing in the right way to 

 encourage the breeding of this variety and as- 

 sisting in maintaining it to the highest point 

 of perfection from an exhibition standpoint, and 

 it is well to note that in bringing out this color 

 the commercial value of the fowl has not been 

 impaired in any way, as hen Band No. 318 has 

 an egg record equal, in fact surpassing many of 

 the contesting pens that have been so highly 

 touted by breeders of other varieties. The fol- 

 lowing figures explain the chart of feathers in 

 detail : 



In this group of feathers we have the correct 

 amount of white and black, with sufficient slate 

 in under color to hold the black lacing in all 

 sections during the moult of the hens. 



Prom an educational standpoint we consider 

 this plate of feathers by far the most valuable 

 illustration in this book. They were selected 

 for us by Messrs. A. and E. Tarbox from their 

 exhibition and breeding hens that we know 

 positively have held their color through two 

 or more moults. 



Figs. 1, 2 and 3 Illustrate the back, brpast 

 and wing bow of the second hen at Scranton, 

 Pa., January, 1907; 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the 

 back, breast and wing bow. of first hen at Chi- 

 cago, January, 1908, and this same hen was 

 winner of first as pullet at Chicago, December, 

 1904; 7, 8 and 9 illustrate back, breast and 

 wing bow of first hen at Chicago, 1907, also 

 second hen at Chicago, 1906 (this hen was illus- 

 trated in the December, 1906, Inland Poultry 

 Journal, showing an egg record of 175 eggs in 

 264 days); 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the back, 

 breast and wing bow of fourth hen at Chicago, 

 .January, 1908, ajid daughter of first hen at Chi- 

 cago, January, 1907;. 13, 14 and 15 Illustrate the 

 back, breast and bow of a daughter of first hen 

 at Chicago, January, 1907; 16, 17 and 18 illus- 

 trate the back, breast and wing bow of second 

 hen at Chicago, January, 1908, and daughter of 

 first hen at Chicago, January, 1907. 



Please note this plate is an absolute repro- 

 duction of the feathers forwarded to us by 

 Messrs. A. and E. Tarbox. There have been 

 no retouching or changes. This plate of feath- 

 ers is worth many dollars to breeders of Sil- 

 ver Wyandottes as a chart in the mating up of 

 the breeding pens. Messrs. A. and E. Tarbox 

 have spent years in learning the very thing 

 that they are practically giving you free. 



