180 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
other Rock ancestor, the Dominique, is indigenous to North America, and the beautiful blue plumage of the 
Barred Variety is inherited from this source, the Dominicjue being a cuckoo-marked bird, rather lighter in 
colour than the Standard Rock of to-day, of medium size (cocks about eight pounds, hens about six pounds), 
following the Dorking model in shape, with rose combs, and bright yellow legs. They are sprightly in 
disposition, great foragers, excellent layers, and very hardy. Before the advent of Rocks, 1 )ominiques were very 
popular in the Northern States ; but as the new breed blossomed forth, retaining all the Dominique's best 
points, and with the additional advantages of increased size and beauty, better table qualities, and more breast 
meat, Dominiques became, comparatively speaking, neglected, their more valuable descendants taking their 
place in public favour. That the originators used Dominique males and Java females most breeders agree, as 
in all the American strains the black chicks thrown are invariably pullets (and there are still a small proportion 
of black sports thrown by every strain) ; but it is next door to impossible to get a wholly black cockerel when 
breeding from purely Barred birds or from a Barred cock with black hens, this reversion of the progeny 
favouring a strong conclusion that in the original the male was barred and the female black, as it has been 
proved again and again by Poultry breeders, that in ninety per cent, of cases colour and markings are derived 
from the male bird. In some very rare instances a black cockerel is thrown with silvery hackles, but this is 
only where modern English blood has been introduced, it being a well-known fact that in England of late 
years Minorca cocks were used in order to darken the markings. 
" Having traced the origin of the Plymouth Rock, it is necessary to give an idea of what the Standard 
bird of to-day should be like, after which I propose to explain the Standard, and at the same time offer a few 
remarks on breeding and judging. To start with, the breed is now pretty well on the top rung of the ladder 
as general utility fowls, unsurpassed by any other breed for size and weight, combined with their great broad 
and deep chests closely packed with the best of breast meat. They are a magnificent table bird, and 
although for the diet of an invalid, one or other of the smaller and more delicate breeds may be preferred 
by some, still the Rocks, with their extra tender, juicy flesh, are fit for any epicure, and off the breast of a 
six months old cockerel a family of aldermen might be fed and satisfied. Combined with their great table 
reputation they hold the palm as egg-producers among the big breeds, having inherited this quality from 
their Dominique ancestors, and as winter layers they are certainly second to none. For some years I have 
been breeding nothing but Rocks, and during winter, when eggs were dearest, have had a splendid supply, 
and, though some of my neighbours have kept Mediterranean breeds, I have always managed to beat them 
in production of eggs per bird in winter time. Added to the above qualities. Rocks are hardy birds, and 
very active foragers, and are, I believe, the most payable Fowl the Farmer can keep, and, taken all round, will 
give results equal to, if not better than, any other breed to persons with decent-sized runs or open spaces ; 
but I cannot recommend them to Fanciers who have only small yards, as they seldom thrive in close 
confinement. They were originated on farm lands in the open country, and it seems the nature to forage 
around is in their blood, and when their environment is changed that same nature kicks against the change. 
" General Description of what a Rock Cock should be. 
" A fully-matured Rock cock should weigh at least ten pounds. He should stand on four-toed stout 
and strong feet, and be particularly square on his pins, so that from whichever side or angle you may look 
at him his legs should be perpendicular, from the front view like two red gum posts, quite three inches apart, 
and if four all the better, and perfectly parallel from hocks to feet, shanks free from feathers, from four to 
five inches in length, and showing exceptional stoutness of bone. Thighs of medium length, very thick and 
strong ; on such props should rest a very large, yet compact body, showing no angles or points anywhere, 
but all rounded outhnes. From the crown of a fair-sized, erect head, a strong full neck and flowing hackle, 
gradually circling into a very broad but short back, into which, with the continuation of the circle, is fitted 
a small convex tail. The underline should also form the segment of a circle from the throat down past a 
grandly- rounded breast, very full in both breadth and depth, and continuing on round the fluff to lower side 
of tail. In fact, a Rock cock perfect in type when side on should present an exact half-circle both in top 
