14 



SILVER LACED WYANDOTTES. 



In shape the Standard describes the back as "short, 

 broad, flat at shoulders; saddle, broad, full, rising with 

 concave sweep to tail." In color: "Back, silvery white; 

 sa,ddle, silvery white with a black stripe through each 

 feather, having a tapering, diamond-shaped center of white; 

 undercolor, dark slate." 



In the group of feathers (Fig. 15) will be found a num- 

 ber that will give the breeder and judge a fair sample of 

 ideals as well as several of the defective ones that will be 

 found in the breeders' yards or in the exhibition room. 



The short feathers composing the back of the male — 

 that is, the feathers between wing bows, below the cape — 

 are black with white lacing. From the center to rear of 

 back they gradually lengthen oiit until in the saddle we 

 find a feather long and tapering, dark in undercolor, nicely 

 laced on the outside with white, with black center, showing 

 a diamond-shape of white in center of black. 



This is illustrated in feather No. 1, and is our idea 

 of the correct color in Silver Wyandotte males. 



In feather No. 2 we find the same feather, only the 

 diamond-shaped centet is not long enough, showing en- 

 tirely too much black, covering up one of the most impor- 

 tant as well as one of the handsomest features on the back 

 of male. Feather No. 2 should be discounted i/^ point. 



In feather No. 3 we And a defect quite common with 

 the Wyandotte,- and especially those that show nice sur- 

 face color. Quite often the undercolor runs light and the 

 black is broken up, white running through, the two colors 

 mingling. A back showing feathers like No. 3 should be 

 discounted 1% points. 



Feather No. 4 has much the same defect, but is even 

 worse, as the outside, or end of feather, shows a black, 

 smutty surface, giving the back a rusty appearance, and 

 should be discounted' 2 points. 



Feather No. 5, while more or less exaggerated, is one 

 that will be found in some specimens. There is no sound 

 color in any part. It is too light underneath, is muddy on 

 the surface, the black and white are mixed. Both colors 

 being defective, the section should be discounted 4 points. 



Feather No. 6 is one that is lacking in the diamond- 

 shaped center, is too white underneath, and, from a breed- 

 er's standpoint, would be absolutely worthless. This bird 

 should be cut 1 for light undercolor, 1 for absence of dia- 

 mond-shaped center of white in black and 1 for width of 

 black, running too much to a point and showing too narrow 

 an edging. 



The shape of back is just as important as the color — 

 in fact, it is the keystone to the shape structure, and un- 

 less this section is good we cannot expect any large per 

 cent, of good-shaped specimens, no matter how well the 

 bird may be mated; and it is well to note here that females 

 give you the size, but males give you the shape, not alone 

 in males, but in females as well. 



In Fig. 16 is shown a back that Is entirely too long 

 and too narrow. It is more like the Plymouth Rock type in 

 length, but not wide enough for this variety. A Wyandotte 

 of any variety showing a back like this should be' diSr 

 counted 2 points. 



S^'^-^T 



about the right length, but is entirely too straight, and 

 should be discounted 1 point. 



Fig iS" shows one of the most serious defects to 

 be found in any breed of fowls. The back is what we call 



^ 



8 



j>ig. 17 shows another defect common in this breed 

 — back is too straight, failing in the concave sweep so much 

 desired in back of both sexes. It is broad enough, and 



"roached" — higher in the center than it is in the front or 

 rear — a serious objection from a breeding standpoint and 

 an eyesore In the show room, and should be discounted 

 3 points. 



Wings. 



This section is valued at 10 points in each of the Ameri- 

 can varieties, and subdivided — 4 for shape and 6 for color, 

 color being decidedly the most important and a section in 

 many of the American breeds that has first consideration 

 by breeders and judges alike. 



Tue wing of a Wyandotte male is a very important 

 section from a color standpoint, owing to the fact that 

 for a number of years the Standard has called for a laced 

 bird with a spangled wing bar, and a great deal of trouble 

 is yet experienced by breeders in correcting this error. 



The Standard, in des,cribing the Cblor of Silver Wyan- 

 dotte male, says: "Primaries, black, lower edge white; 

 secondaries, black, lower half of outer web white, with a 

 narrow black edging, wider at tip ; wing coverts, upper web 

 black, lower web white, with a narrow black stripe along 

 the edge that widens as it approaches the tip, forming a 

 double bar of laced feathers across wing; wingbows, sil- 

 very white; undercolor, dark slate." 



While on this subject we wish to call attention to the 

 feathers shown in color plate of male. In the feather illus- 

 trating the laced wing bar, shown separately at rear of 

 bird, the white should cross more over the shaft, showing 

 about one-fourth more white than .is illustrated in the 

 feather. This error was not noticed until plates had been 

 made. The black lacing on feather is wider on one side 

 than the other, but not quite in proportion to the illus- 

 tration. 



We call attention to this so that breeders and judges 

 may understand that more white will show in the laced 

 bar than is shown in this plate. 



