Plymouth Rocks. 
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often Barred birds with beautiful bright and clear orange legs show streaky beaks ; and never yet have I 
judged a bird so black in beak as to warrant absolute -disqualification, neither would I think of doing so 
unless the yellow tinge was entirely absent. Let us stamp out the main and harmful constitutional defects 
first, and then go for these trivial ones afterwards. 
" In Whites and Buffs the beak must be clear yellow throughout. 
" Colour of Legs, -points.— Here also many make a mistake in considering black spots on legs a great 
objection. A fault it is, no doubt ; but, if the objectors only knew that in the Barred variety these same 
black spots, when well defined, are a certain sign of permanent and fixed barrings in the plumage of a strain, 
no doubt their objections would soon cease. In Scotch Greys the same thing holds good, and I remember a 
beautifully-marked cockerel of this breed with his legs from hock to heel checked like a draught-board. 
Whole willow or greeny-yellow legs are bad, as it is readily transmitted to the progeny. Don't allow 
willow-shaded stock into the breeding pen, and if wielding the judging stick, don't, if possible, let a cock, 
cockerel, or hen showing this fault in a decided degree, get a card. With pullets it is not such a radical 
defect, as with age they will sometimes improve wonderfully in this respect. In Whites or Buffs the decided 
willow tinge is a clear disqualification. But Judges for a few years will have to deal leniently with this fault 
in Black Rocks when they come into fashion, though in this variety bright orange legs will be a great 
recommendation. In some strains, more especially in Whites, a pinky-red tinge is often noticeable at the 
sides of the shanks and between the toes, the rest of the legs being sound yellow. This is not a serious 
defect, and even if using a cock so marked, of such great constitution that he stamps nearly all his offspring 
with the undeniable likeness of himself, this red shading will be only transmitted in a very few instances. 
When in the moult, all Rocks pale off considerably in colour of both legs and beak, and if running on 
country where they cannot obtain green food, will at this time of year go so nearly white that only on very 
close examination, and sometimes only by brisk rubbing or chafing, can any yellow shade be detected. But 
if, out of the moulting season, white legs without any trace of yellow whatever are met with, then these must be 
passed both by Judge and breeder, as it would be just as feasible to call a bird a Rock that has whole black, 
or even blue legs, as white ones. Some Agricultural Societies tack on a Poultry Section to their Shows held 
right in the middle of the moulting season, and if a Judge finds himself in the unenviable position of having 
to adjudicate at such a juncture he must take special pains, and in his examination of leg-colour should only 
satisfy himself by the strictest scrutiny and close handling of every bird having a chance of a place. 
" The old time notion that only fowls with white skins and white legs were really good table breeds, has 
been proved over and over again to be a pure fallacy. In the States, where more Poultry is consumed per 
head than in perhaps any other country in the universe, yellow legs and skins are the most popular for the 
table. And even in Conservative England, where the craze against yellow skins for so long raged, public 
opinion has changed, and the most -fashionable table fowl in the old country to-day, the Indian Game Fowl, 
is a yellow-skinned bird. In 1896, of all the birds sent home from Australia, yellow skins and legs 
came out on top; for Mr. Ed. Maxfield, of Flynn's Creek, (iippsland, with Plymouth Rocks obtained the 
highest average in the London market, beating all other breeds. The flesh beneath a yellow skin is by 
nature more juicy, rich, and full-flavoured than that covered by a skin of any other colour. All breeders of 
beef-producing cattle know that every Shorthorn and Hereford beast with a yellow skin and waxy, yellow 
horn is stamped with the trademark of mellowness and richness of flesh ; the one is a sine qua non of the 
other. The same law of nature is common to all our domesticated flesh-making machines, whether they 
walk on four legs or on two ; and with this strong recommendation Rock breeders should rest satisfied, 
knowing that their birds are hall-marked rich flesh-carriers at sight. 
" Comh and Wattles, 5 points. — These in Rocks are generally level and good. The exceptions are when 
Mediterranean blood is present, the wattles then being generally altogether too big, long, and pendent, and 
the comb as large as an average beefsteak, these enormities being altogether foreign to the nature of good 
table Fowls, are not wanted in a Rock. Hardly ever are comb and wattles on a Rock shown too small. In 
