W. COOKS TURKEY, GOOSE, AND PHEASANT BOOK. 57 



it would take a clever person to tell the difference. If the 

 Italians were really pure the)- would breed true to colour the 

 same as Embden and all other varieties. The fact is, they 

 get crossed to produce size, and the first crosses come like 

 the pure parents on one side and get sold as pure. 



Suppose an Erabden is crossed with a Toulouse, in many 

 cases some of the offspring will come quite white and 

 represent a pure Embden, and in many cases they are sold 

 as such, but if they are bred from again they throw goslings 

 with dark or grey feathers, which proves at once that there 

 is other blood in them besides Embden. 



My Italian are, I believe, about as pure as they are bred, 

 but I feel sure they have two breeds in them. I am inclined 

 to think, however, that the original colour of the Italian is 

 white, though I am not quite certain, aad then the Italians 

 have had grey geese over from England to' cross with them 

 to increase size, so that there is a mixture of colour. 



I mention these facts so that those who go in for Italian 

 geese will not expect them all to come one colour or evenly 

 marked, but I will admit that any breed which has Italian 

 blood in it always makes good layers. 



,-<'<^ 



