316 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
not disfigure the bird), or by placing a tape around in the manner as described for Slipwing, in Chap. 14, or 
by covering in the run with wire netting, or by placing wire netting on frames upright around the top of the 
fence. Where ample range can be given, no trouble is likely to ensue, and as they are the very best foragers 
when kept under the latter conditions, they cost but a trifle to keep, and give an enormous return for the 
outlay. 
Schedule for Judging Leghorns. 
The general characteristics, which apply to the whole race, are as follows : — -The Cock : The head 
should be deep, and of fair length ; beak, rather long and fairly straight (yellow in colour in the white 
variety, often tinged with horn colour down the upper mandible in the other colours) ; comb, single, upright, 
bright red, fine in texture, fairly large, deeply and well serrated with four or more spikes, the comb well set 
on the head, extending well over the back, and quite free from twists, thumb marks, or side sprigs ; face, 
bright red, free from white spots or wrinkles ; eyes, bright red and sparkling ; wattles, bright red, rather long 
and thin, fine in texture, and free from folds ; ear-lobes, well developed, rather long, smooth, and free from 
folds or red spots, and as white as possible, though many otherwise good birds have a yellowish tint in lobes ; 
neck, long, and well arched, well covered with long, flowing hackle feathers ; back, moderately long, inclining 
to roundness and sloping towards the tail ; wings, large, but carried well clipped up to the body ; breast, 
fairly full, and carried prominently ; body, broad in front, narrowing towards the tail ; legs and feet, rather 
long and slender, bright yellow in colour ; tail, large, full, and carried well up, with flowing sickle feathers 
in abundance ; carriage, upright, active, and sprightly ; weight, from 5 to 7 lbs., or more, if elegance is not 
sacrificed. The Hen : Head, inclined to be slightly flat on the top ; comb large, fine in texture, evenly 
serrated, rising straight from the top of the head, then forming a graceful curve over to one side. In beak, 
lei;s, and feet she should be similar to the cock ; ear-lobes, large, smooth, and free from folds or wrinkles, 
lying, however, closer to the head than the cock's ; eyes, full and sparkling ; face, red, and quite free from 
white ; wattles, red, fine in texture, nicely rounded, of fair length, and quite free from folds ; neck, well 
arched ; breast, full, and carried rather prominently ; wings, large, well clipped up to the body ; tail, full, and 
carried well up; general appearance, alert, active, and sprightly; weight, 4 to 5 lbs., or more. 
The plumage of the White variety should be a pure and spotless white throughout, and possess great 
lustre. The sun will, however, tan the plumage of the cocks, giving them an objectionable yellow appear- 
ance, which, however, can be obviated to a great extent by providing ample shade. The hens rarely lose 
much of their purity of feather until approaching the moulting season. 
The Brown Leghorn is very difficult to breed right up to Standard requirements in colour, more 
especially the pullets. The Show or Exhibition Brown Leghorn cock should be a golden bay in hackle 
feathers, each feather having a pronounced black stripe extending down the centre. The feathers on the 
top and back of head, also those near and around the throat, are golden bay, without markings. Though a 
lighter or lemon-coloured hackle is often favoured by Judges, and is undoubtedly more striking, it will be 
found that birds with these light-coloured hackles beget cockerels and pullets very washy and pale in colour. 
The back, shoulder-coverts, and wing-bows are a deep solid red, approaching crimson. The wing-bars are a 
purplish blue, with great lustre. The wing secondaries deep clear bay on the outer web, and black on the inner, 
forming, when the wing is closed, an unbroken surface of bay, each and every feather having a purplish blue 
spot at the end, forming a bar from the wing-bar to the tip, on the top, or upper side of the secondaries. The 
saddle feathers are orange-red, with a black stripe similar to the neck hackle. The breast, thighs, and 
under-parts are a glossy greenish-black. The tail is a sound black, the sickles and secondary sickles being 
glossy greenish-black, the tail coverts black, more or less edged with bay. The Show or Exhibition hen's 
hackle is a rich golden yellow, each feather boldly and distinctly striped with black ; breast, a bright salmon 
red, with shafts of a lighter shade. The feathers under the throat are of a slightly deeper hue, and those on 
the thighs and under-parts merge gradually into an ashy shade under the tail. The ground colour of the 
body is a light brown, minutely and evenly pencilled with black. This colour should extend all over the 
wings and top outer feathers of the tail, the other feathers of tail being as dark as possible. 
