OF STANDARD FOWLS 
mentioned, wide contrasts in color of sire and dam 
produce mottled or patchy surface color. As 
stated in red breeds, anent hackles with brown 
stripes and the light shaft, buff sires with this 
defect breed chicks of both sexes with the ob- 
jectionable light shafting throughout the entire 
surface plumage, and also produce females with 
hackles three or four shades darker than body 
color. Under-color in buff breeds does not play so 
prominent a part in the control of surface color as 
it does in red breeds as it seems to have lost its 
power of control in toning down from red to buff. 
This is substantiated by the fact that a deep buff 
under-color generally keeps company with a red- 
dish buff surface; and also by the fact that too 
light or almost white under-color is covered by a 
lemon shade. In this last, lack of pigment is 
prone to follow into flights and main tail of both 
sexes. 
In Buffs, the best strains produce chicks at 
hatch of a soft creamy buff, many times with 
darker shades of buff on back and head. In Reds, 
long pedigreed parents give chicks at hatch a 
strong, even red shade. Where silvery red under- 
color is in sire or dam, or both, the chicks are 
of a light primrose color with occasional dark 
patches on back and head which are present until 
chicks are feathered. 
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