278 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



color as though powdered with meal, are undesirable. As deep 

 an undercolor of buff as it is possible to obtain is desirable. 

 There is a great difference of opinion as to what constitutes 

 desirable buff color, some favoring the lighter color, approach- 

 ing lemon, while others favor a much darker buff, approaching 

 red. The important point is to have the shade as even as pos- 

 sible over the entire surface. 



The Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock is one of the new vari- 

 eties. Its plumage is distinctive and very beautiful. In general, 

 the plumage of the male consists of a silver white top color, 

 extending over the shoulders and back, the hackle and saddle 

 striped witli black. The rest of the body plumage, including the 

 main tail feathers and sickles, is black. The wings when folded 

 show a bar of black extending across below the shoulder. Be- 

 low this the wing shows white, due to the white on the outside 

 of the secondaries. In the female the general trend of color is 

 gray, with delicate, distinct, concentric penciling of dark on 

 each feather except the hackle, each feather of which is silvery 

 white with a black center, showing a slight gray penciling, and 

 the main tail feathers, which are black, with the two top feathers 

 showing some penciling. The color of the plumage is practically 

 the same as that of the Dark Brahma. 



The Partridge Plymouth Rock is also one of the newer 

 varieties of this breed. The coloring of this variety is very 

 attractive and is practically the same as that of the Partridge 

 Cochin and also of the Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock, except 

 that the white of the Silver Penciled is replaced by red or red- 

 dish brown. 



The Columbian Plymouth Rock, a variety of comparatively 

 recent origin, is very attractive in coloring and has proved quite 

 popular. In general the color is white, the hackle feathers being 

 black with a narrow edging of white, and the main tail feathers 

 black, the tail coverts being black with a distinct white lacing. 

 The wings also carry some black on the primary and secondary 

 feathers, which is almost hidden w^hen the wings are folded. 

 The color of this variety is practically the same as that of the 

 Light Brahma. 



