298 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
generally, and attention should be given to rectify this. Of course, it must be reinembered that colour, 
though very important, is not the only point to study in selecting the breeding stock ; and shape, carriage, 
size, and head points must also be taken into consideration. In 'culling' or 'weeding ' out the chickens, 
the black and white ones should be banished from a Fancier's yard as soon as they are hatched, as they can 
be of no use to him, though they make excellent laying stock for the Farmer or those who keep a few hens 
to supply the household eggs. All blue chickens, except deformed birds, may be allowed to grow till they 
are four or five months old, or until they go through their first moult from chicken feather to adult plumage. 
At this time the cockerels will have combs of a fair size, and the breeder can weed out all with bad combs, 
decided willow-coloured legs, very pale hackle, and, of course, all that show white specks in the face, should 
there be any at this early age. In both sexes, light-coloured birds with black head and neck feathers should 
be retained, even though they do not show much lacing on the breast and body. Provided other faults do 
not utterly condemn them, a pullet of this description will often develop most perfect and distinct lacing at a 
later stage. Many chicks will feather very slowly, and will run for weeks with half-a-dozen flight feathers in 
each wing, and the rest of the body thinly covered with down. These are generally very good-coloured birds 
when they attain adult plumage, and are nearly always exceedingly well laced, though often deficient in comb, 
lobe, and wattle. As a rule, they look very ■Ungainly while growing, but when fully developed attain a great 
size. 
" I would recommend a beginner to note such slow-feathering birds ; and in mating up his breeding 
pens for the following season, if he selects one of these cockerels, to mate him to hens that have feathered 
quickly as chickens, and with good large combs and lobes, and to mate the pullets to a rather full-feathered 
cock with well-developed head points. In conclusion, I tender a suggestion on the Judging of the young 
classes of Andalusians, to show where, in my opinion, many of our Judges are in error, and where the 
breeder-Judge has a decided advantage over the book-learned Judge. The Standards describe the adults, 
both cock and hen, and yet many Judges apply the exact Standard description for shape and symmetry to 
the young classes also, whereas cockerels and pullets eight to ten months old, that are of the adult shape 
then, will become too heavily built when they are adults ; whilst the cockerels and pullets that are more 
stilty and slimly built, and show a good length of tightly-feathered thigh clear of the body feathers, and with 
long necks, are really the birds which will eventually conform to the adult Standard, and my opinion is that 
to such the prizes in the young classes should be awarded, other points, of course, being equal." 
The following additional notes are kindly supplied by Mr. Jas. B. Crawford, " Broomward," Alphington, 
Victoria, who writes : — 
" This variety has always been a favourite, even amongst non-Fanciers, and deservedly so. I think 
there is something in the name which attracts beginners. It is very pleasant to pronounce, although some 
ludicrous mistakes are made in naming the breed. I have been asked, quite seriously, by a very worthy 
elderly lady, if I kept Antediluvians ! For a Poultry breeder, who only studies profit, as a laying Fowl the 
hens cannot be surpassed. On an ordinary Farm the numerous off-coloured chickens produced are no 
detriment to the breed's useful qualities. Large wattles and combs are also not cultivated, so on this account 
they are all the more suitable for knocking about the Farm-yard. Formerly, Andalusians were shown here 
as full in comb, and as low-set as the Leghorn, and it is very difficult to convince many Poultry buyers to the 
contrary. They must have birds with large combs, and heavy-looking bodies ; in fact, Blue Minorcas, to be 
the correct thing, in their opinion. I have met Farmers who could not succeed with either Leghorns or 
Minorcas, as,~owing to the two mentioned breeds' vision being more or less obstructed by the enormous 
combs, they are very liable to be attacked by hawks, etc., and they have discovered that the up-to-date 
Andalusian is just the egg-producing Fowl for them. 
" As our leading breeder and importer of Andalusians has just lately disposed of his large stock, 
which is now distributed all over Australia, there is no doubt that there will be a great increase of good 
specimens to be seen at all future Shows throughout this Continent." 
