SILVER PENCILED IVYANDOTTES. 



47 



as in degree. The face proper is usually good, especially 

 on tlie male^, but sometimes, owing to condition, they show 

 dark or purple. But the better way to discount this is 

 under the head of condition, rather than the color, as it 

 is the condition of the fowl that brings about this color. 

 The same would apply in comb where the Standard de- 

 scription is bright red. 



Wattles and ear lobes are sometimes defective in color 

 and are given a valuation of six points. These sections, 

 while not divided by the Standard-makers, should be in 

 applying the Standard by score card, and we would give 

 three for shape and three for color. Sometimes a trace of 

 white will appear in them, and in view of the fact that the 

 Standard does not disqualify unless more than half of the 

 section is white, some rule for cutting should be consid- 

 ered. If only a trace of white is found, the discount should 

 be % point; if white shows clearly in both lobes, or the 

 entire section looks pale, the discount should be 1; where 

 white flecks appear, showing enamel-white over one-third 



Fig-. 54. 



of the surface, the discount should be 2; and when more 

 than one-half of the lobe is positive white, the bird should 

 be disqualified. 



Neck. 



Neck has a valuation of ten points — four for shape and 

 six for color — and is considered one of the most important 

 sections, so far as color is concerned, in a breeding male 

 The Standard description for neck is: "Silvery white, 



In Pig. 54, feather No. 1, we show an ideal hackle 

 feather that conforms to the Standard, having the black 

 center with a white outside edging and about the right 

 proportion of slate under color. The white edging might 

 be a trifle narrower and still pass without a discount. 



Feather No. 2 is distinct in the striping, has the dark 

 under color, but the black runs to the edge on side of 

 feather and runs black at the tip. A feather like this 

 should be discounted 1 point — % point for black at end 

 of feather, % point where black shows on edge and % for 

 being too light in under color. 



Feather No. 3 is entirely too light. What little black 

 there is in the feather is poorly proportioned, runs too much 

 to a point, making a black, smutty edge, and is nearly 

 white underneath. A neck showing feathers like^ this 

 should be discounted 3 points — 2 for white under color and 

 1 point for the smutty edging of black that extends almost 

 one-fourth of an inch along the surface. A neck like this 

 shows black on the outside and what the breeders term 

 "cotton color" underneath. , 



A neck to show to best advantage on a male bird of 

 this 'variety should be a silvery white surface from back 

 of comb to where the hackle flows out into the shoulders. 

 The only black showing is where the hackle parts, or on 

 examination by raising the feathers. It is the silvery neck 

 and back that is so much admired by breeders of this va- 

 riety, and the two sections that up to the present time it 

 has been so hard to get pure. 



Back. 



This section is by far the most important, both in 

 color and shape. The Standard-makers realized this, and 

 in the valuation of points they have allowed 6 for shape 

 and 6 for color, giving it more importance than any other 

 one section of the bird. 



In color it should be a silvery white, free from brown; 

 saddle, silvery white with a black stripe through each 

 feather; under color, dark slate. We will find here very 

 much the same description as in neck, and there is a simi- 

 larity betwen the two feathers in color, but you will note 

 by looking at Fig. 55 and comparing them with Fig. 54 that 

 there is considerable difference in the shape of the feathers 

 in the two sections. 



Feather No. 1 in Fig. 55 shows our ideal of a Silver 

 Penciled Wyandotte back. It is good in under color, has 

 clear black striping in center, with nice outside lacing of 

 white. 



Feather No. 3 is too light underneath; it is very black 

 at the edge, giving the bird a smutty surface color, and 

 should be discounted 1% points. 



Feather No. 4 is too light on surface, has about the 

 right proportion of black at the edge, but is entirely too 

 light underneath, failing almost entirely in under color, 

 andi should be discounted 1% points. 



Feather No. 5 is too white at the point, black stripe 

 doesn't run near enough to en^ of feather. The under 

 color is pure white. A bird like this shows a surface that 



Fig. 55. 



with a distinct black stripe extending through each is entirely too light, as well as under color, and should be 



feather, tapering to a point near extremity of feather; each discounted 1% points. 



feather to be free from a white shaft, or a black or dark Feather No. 2 is black at the point, a little smutty in 



edge- under color dark slate." the outside white lacing, also too light underneath. A back 



