^ii^vER LACED WYANDOTTES. 



7 



The second cross — i. e., the cross of half-English on 

 American birds — reduced this pei'centage very materially, 

 but even now we get a few white spots frojn nearly every 

 strain that has English blood in it. 



In Figs, la and 2a we show a type of Silver Wyandottes 

 that was winning the prizes in the mid-West shows as late 

 as 1885, and this shape and color were considered by many 



Pig. la. 



OLD-TIME WINNER. 



as about the proper thing for Silvers. You will note the 

 long back and body, the small diamond-shaped white cen- 

 ters in both sexes and the peculiar spike to comb. At this 

 time the comb of each sex showed a distinct spike and 

 in our best specimens this was carried nearly on a straight 

 line with the comb, not so erect as that of the Hamburgs, 

 but very nearly so. Gradually we have bred away from 

 this, until today the comb proper terminates in a spike and 

 the entire comb follows the shape of the skull. 



By careful selecting we have bred a comb onto our 

 best birds that is broad and full in front and gradually 

 grows smaller as it approaches the rear, as shown in the 

 two color-plates presented here. 



In color we find a number of both sexes that carry the 

 clean white oval centers with distinct narrow lacings of 

 black. 



When we look back to our old Silvers and consider the 

 way they were mated, we often wonder how we made as 

 good progress in breeding them as we did. We were dis- 

 carding as worthless the only male birds that were 

 really of value and were setting a task for our females that 

 in the light of present-day breeding it is really a wonder 

 that we did not destroy them completely. We were using 

 males with solid black stripes in saddle, with only a small 

 margin of white on surface, and we were then discarding 

 the males with laced secondaries and wing bars, the most 

 important color sections from a breeding standpoint that 

 are possessed by the males. 



Look at the saddle feathers of male birds (as shown 

 in color plate of male) with nice diamond-shaped centers 

 of white, and you can see how a male with this color 

 assists the female in perfecting the large open centers so 

 much admired by breeders of this variety. 



Study the Drawing. 



In the color illustrations Mr. Burgess has given to us 

 as nearly true to life pictures as we find it possible to pro- 

 duce. The outlines conform to Standard descriptions and 



are in no way overdrawn when ideals are considered. The 

 feathers that are reproduced on the plates were selected 

 for us by the best informed breeders and represent the 

 true surface and undercolor as described in the Standard. 



If the shape and color as found in our illustrations 

 are carefully studied and the two sexes mated as shown 

 in these plates, then the breeder of Silver Wyandottes 

 need have no fear of going backward in his effort to reach 

 the top. 



We believe that Mr. Burgess as a Wyandotte delineator 

 surpasses any other artist now before the public. We have 

 watched his work closply from the first crude sketch he 

 made up to the finished work in the color plates that will 

 illustrate all the popular varieties of the Wyandotte family, 

 and we feel that in less than five years since this boy 

 left the farm he has done more to portray Standard poultry 

 than any one artist in America in twice the time. His work 

 from the first has been done with the Standard as his 

 guide; he has not allowed the hobbies of specialty breeders 

 to influence his iudgment and he has made a fad of no one 

 breed that in after life might influence his work, as it has 

 others. He has aimed at all times to keep up with the 

 Standard-makers in their word description and assist them 

 to put before the American fanciers the correct types of 

 Standard fowls. 



No one breed of fowls has so many popular varieties 

 as the Wyandottes; no one breed that has given a better 

 account of itself in all parts of the world; no one breed 

 that can come nearer filling the wants for egg, broiler, 

 roaster and of the fancier at the same time; no one breed 

 that will dO' better under all conditions. In fact, as an all- 

 round fowl the Wyandotte in its several varieties stands 

 today, and has for years, in the front row, no matter from 

 what position you view them — medium in size, between 

 the two extremes; quick to mature; early to lay; good all- 

 year-round egg producer and the fancier's fowl par ex- 

 cellence. 



With these facts before us,' we offer no apology for 

 giving them the prominence we do in this book. They have 



Pig. 2a. ■ 



OLD-TIME WINNER. 



earned it by their own merits; they have proved their 

 worth. Now let's prove we are worthy of them by a closer 

 study of the several varieties and the defects we find in 

 them today. 



It is not to set ourselves up as teachers, but if pos- 

 sible to harmonize the opinions of all lovers of fowls, that 

 we are putting out this work. Let us understand just what 

 constitutes defects, and we have made one step in the 

 right direction; then let us learn how to value the defects, 

 and we have made still another; and when we learn how 

 to mate to avoid these defects, we have reached the goal 

 which is sought. 



