Leghorns. 
317 
Pile Leghorns were produced by systematic crossing of the two first-named, and are a beautiful variety 
when seen in anything approaching perfection in colour and markings. They should resemble the Pile 
British Game, with the shape and characteristics of the Leghorn. This breeding to colour was by no means 
as easy as would appear, the progeny for some years either being far too light or washy in colour, or, on the 
other hand, too heavily marked, especially on the breast of the cock and back and wings of the hen. 
However, the breed is now fairly established, and bids fair to rival both the Whites and Browns in popularity. 
It goes without saying that they must perforce be even stronger in constitution, there being little if any 
temptation to in-breed. In colour, the cock's hackle should be a light chestnut-red ; back shoulder-coverts 
and wing-bows, rich deep crimson or claret ; wing-bars, white, or slightly laced with light chestnut ; secondaries, 
when closed, light chestnut-red ; breast, a creamy white, the feathers near the throat lightly laced with pale 
gold ; tail, white or creamy white, free as possible from black splashes, spots, or ticks ; thighs, belly, and 
under-parts, as white as possible. The hen's hackle should be a pale chestnut or deep gold, with a white 
streak in the centre of each feather ; the back a creamy white, faintly laced with gold ; wing-coverts, creamy 
white, a trifle heavier laced than the back ; breast, a deep salmon-red or rich chestnut, shading off to a creamy 
white on thighs and under-parts ; tail, pure white. 
Cuckoo Leghorns, as a general rule, are smaller than any of the previously mentioned ; the difficulty 
experienced in breeding the cockerels up to Standard requirements militates against them becoming popular. 
There is, however, not nearly so great a difficulty in breeding the pullets to colour and markings. The 
ground colour of both sexes is a light grey or greyish white, marked throughout with bands of dark blue, 
somewhat similar to the Plymouth Rock. The shades of colour vary considerably, in some specimens the 
bands or markings being nearly black, on a grey ground. 
In mating this variety, birds light in colour should not be mated together, the tendency being to breed 
lighter and washier each generation ; and, on the other hand, very dark-coloured birds on both sides should 
be avoided, but in selecting the stock bird a light cock should be mated with rather dark hens, or a dark 
cock with hens light in colour. By this means the progeny will come uniformly right or medium in shade, 
and as desired for the Show pen. In any case, a cock with white in tail or primary feathers of the wings 
should not on any account be bred from, as these faults are distinctly hereditary and extremely difficult to 
eradicate when once in a strain. 
Duckwing Leghorns are quite a recent production, and in beauty of plumage quite surpass their 
brethren. Similar to the Game, they are shown in two distinct colours, that of the Silver and Golden. This 
variety is rather more inclined to the Gamey type, and, in fact, their origin rests more or less with the Game 
Fowl. The Silver-Grey cock's head and hackle feathers should be a pure silvery white ; back, shoulder 
coverts, wing-bows, secondaries, and saddle hackles, pure silvery white ; wing-bars, glossy greenish-black ; 
shoulder-butts, breast, tail, and under-parts, glossy black ; the tail sickles and secondary sickles, glossy greenish 
black. The hen's hackle feathers white, with a black stripe running down the centre of the feather, the 
feathers on top of the head being pure white ; breast feathers, a light salmon colour, with shafts of a lighter 
shade ; back and wings, pale French grey, with very minute markings of black. This colour runs up the top 
outer feathers of the tail, the rest of the tail being a darkish grey, almost black. 
The Golden Duckwing cock's hackle feathers should be of a light creamy shade, as free as possible from 
streaks ; back, shoulder coverts, and wing-bows, a light maroon or golden ; wing-bars, bright metallic blue ; 
wing secondaries, when closed, pure white, with a blue-black spot on the end of each feather, forming a bar 
from wing-bar to tip ; saddle feathers, light golden ; breast, thighs, under-parts, and tail, black ; sickles and 
secondary sickles, glossy greenish-black. The hen's head and neck hackle white, with a black stripe in the 
centre of each feather ; breast feathers, a rich salmon-red, with shafts of a lighter shade ; back and wings, 
silvery grey, minutely pencilled with markings of black. This colour also runs up the top feathers of the tail. 
The tail dark grey, almost black. Much the same method of breeding the Duckwing Leghorns to feather 
properties will be similar to the lines laid down for breeding Duckwing Game Fowls. 
