Wyandottes. 
219 
should be selected of good size, neat head and comb, the latter following well the curve of the head, ear-lobes 
and face rich bright red, without any tendency to yellow or white, the neck of fair length, full hackle, the 
stripe clear and distinct, chest broad, breast full and well-rounded, legs of medium length and of a bright 
yellow colour, the breast-lacing sharply defined, the wing-bars evenly laced, tail quite free from white. The 
pullets to mate with a bird of this description should be heavily-laced, their hackles well-striped, and the 
iindcr-colonr of the feather sound. The better the pullets are laced on wings and bars, the better the 
cockerels will turn out in this important point. A little mossiness in the cushion feathers of the females for 
cockerel breeding will not matter to any great extent, providing the lacing to each and every feather is black 
and distinct. 
In mating up the stock birds for pullet breeding, a cockerel should be selected much darker than the 
one used for cockerel breeding. He should be sound coloured in under-feather and fluff, with Ijreast-lacing 
rather heavy, his hackles heavily striped, his back and wings sound in colour, the wing-bars heavily 
marked but distinct, the flights well laced, and his tail pure black, with a good sheen. If a bird of this 
Fig. 72. — Hackle Feathers of Fig. 73.— Perfect Breast Feather of Fig. 74.— Faulty Breast Feather of 
Silver-laced Wyandotte Cockerel. Silver-laced Wyandotte Cockerel. Silver-laced Wyandotte Cockerel. 
description is examined, and the saddle hackles near the tail have pure white centres in the Silvers, or bay in 
the Goldens, this is called pullet-laced, and may be depended upon to breed the best and clearest- 
cushioned pullets. The hens to mate with this stamp of cock should be sound in ground-colour of cushion, 
clearly and distinctly laced all over with pure sound black, taking care to avoid hens that are patchy in 
markings on the shoulders or cushion. The thighs and under-colour of fluff should be sound in all stock 
birds, and, when selecting hens to mate with a cockerel for pullet breeding, it is always best to select some 
a trifle heavier laced than others, as it is next to impossible, without experiment, to decide ivhat exact depth 
of lacing will suit the cockerel best to give the highest results. 
One important point not to be overlooked in breeding the laced varieties is to discard stock birds in 
which the lacing is cross-cut shaped, or which does not extend right round the feather. 
The combs of all the stock birds should be small and close-fitting, and the colour of the legs should be 
as bright a yellow as possible. The whole of the stock should be active and vigorous, and have some 
