182 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
Rocks have been brought to AustraHa from England, and they all bear the same trade marks of their 
parentage, viz., erect and often almost squirrel tails, ear-lobes permeated with permanent white, beef-steak 
combs, sloping backs, and shallow breasts. To show that these birds were not simply culls sent out by some of 
the breeders who think anything good enough for the Colonies, an order was sent home in either '93 or '94 by a 
prominent importer of White Rocks, Mr. J. W. D. Robinson, with instructions to buy the best White Rock 
in England, irrespec tive of price, to beat the then champion of Australia, " Freddy Ball," a bird bred from 
the locally manufactured strain. Mr. J. M. Maude, who took this order home, and who is one of the best 
judges of a Rock in this country, reported to Mr. Robinson that it was impossible to fill the bill, and he 
subsequently told me that if the old champion was sent home he would be an eye-opener to English breeders, 
as White Rocks in England were not in t!ie same street for type as the " Freddy Ball '' strain, and he thought 
they were fast deteriorating in the old country. The latest importation confirms Mr. Maude's views most 
strongly, as they are more Leghorns than ever, and a decided loss in size as well. At the time of the first 
importations of White Rocks, I was breeding Barred birds, and, being taken with the attractive plumage of 
the Whites, determined to sell out the Barred and try to breed a new and distinct strain of Whites, 
altogether independent of the imported birds, and, if possible, equal in size and type to the best specimens of 
the Barred variety. I sold my Barred stud by auction, at an average of nearly ^7 per head, and devoted 
some years in producing a typical White Rock. Barred and Black Rocks were the foundation stock, but 
one cross of both White Cochins and White Wyandottes was used to obtain the colour, and after getting a 
big percentage of white chickens the white cockerels thus obtained were mated with big Black Rock hens, 
typical in shape, in order to get back on to the Rock type. But Leghorn l:)lood was kept out at all costs. 
How this strain, once fixed, succeeded in the Show pen most breeders already know ; but for general 
information, just to show what patience can produce in building up a strain with a few years of careful 
breeding, and with practically nothing correct to start with, I just mention that from the time I commenced 
showing this strain until the disposal of the stud by auction, I succeeded in winning every championship 
offered for White Rocks at the principal Poultry Shows of Australia, and at the time of my sale had a record of 
22 Championship points, and no other breeder with a single point. Being composed of so many crosses of 
blood quite foreign to each other, this strain naturally proved to be excellent layers, and at the Melbourne 
Exhibition Show, 1895, with a pair of W^hite Rock cockerels, I won the first prize for Tabic Export Poiiltrv, 
weighing, dressed for the table, 18 lbs., the com[)etition being open to all breeds and all crosses. I found 
this strain of Whites to be a splendid general utility fowl, and when I parted with them were of capital type 
and sound constitution. 
Buffs .should be of an even rich buff throughout. This variety is got through the Buff Cochin, and was 
originated in the States, very few having as yet been shown in this country. They are exceptionally 
handsome, but, like all buff breeds of recent origin, are particularly difficult to breed even in colour, and clear 
in tail and flights. 
Blacks — black and all-black, of a particularly brilliant green sheen, and free from white or grey tick^ or 
feathers : All birds of a dull colour, or showing a brown or dun tinge, should be rejected. Perhaps it is a bit 
premature to describe what a Black Rock should be, especially as many breeders have declared that it is 
impossible to breed a Black Rock cock free from ticked feathers and with yellow legs ; but, as I have bred a 
good many almost pure Black cockerels with bright orange legs and grand green sheen, when experimenting 
with Whites I feel satisfied that Blacks with yellow legs can be bred of both sexes, starting from Whites as the 
parent stock. I have now together a breeding pen of Blacks with yellow legs and brilliant green sheen, and the 
cockerel pure black throughout, with the exception of a grey shading on the edge of the butts of a few tail 
feathers. These are sports from the Goldens, but I believe that the Black Rock will come as a fixture 
eventually from the White Rock, as black sports from Coldens, if bred from, would probably throw many 
red feathers. 
"Regarding my experiments to try and produce Golden Rocks, with many years of patience and care, 
helped by a close study of results as the seasons progress, and some little knowledge of the theory and 
