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The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
" Hamburgs, with the exception of Silver-Spangled and Silver Pencils, recjuire very little attention to 
prepare them for Exhibition. The Silver must be thoroughly M-ashed if a prize is looked for. A good 
sponging of the comb, face, lobes, legs, and feet is about all required for the other varieties. Feeding the 
birds for colour plays a prominent part in the success or otherwise of Hamburgs for showing, and to this 
end breeders of the different varieties are taxed to the utmost to discover something that will assist in placing 
their birds' condition on a higher plane than those of their competitors." 
The Hamburg Club's Standard of Perfection. 
Definition of Terms : — Spangling is the word used to describe the " marking of gold and silver 
spangled Hamburgs generally, but refers more particularly to the body-marking of Hens, and the 
breast-markings of Cocks" — "Spangles" being the name given to the round spots on the ends of the 
feathers, and which vary in size from a threepenny-bit to a shilling, commencing small at the throat and 
increasing in size towards the fluff. Spangles are a mixture of black and green, the greener the better. 
Ticking is the term used to describe the dagger-shaped marking at the ends of the feathers forming the neck 
and saddle hackles of Silver-spangled cocks, and which should never exceed an inch and a half in length. 
Marking which exceeds one inch and a half in length becomes a stripe. Stoppings is the name given to the 
five or six spangles on the secondary flight feathers, each of which being a trifle shorter than the other, makes 
the spangles appear just above each other like a staircase. Pencilling is the name given to the " marking " 
on Gold or Silver-pencilled hens. Every feather (except the neck hackles) should be pencilled across with 
narrow lines, the colour of which is a mixture of black and green, the greener the better. Lacing refers to 
the gold or silver edging all round the black sickle feathers and tail coverts of pencilled cocks. 
General Characteristics. 
Beak, short and small ; Comb. — Cock, square in front, gradually tapering towards the back, and ending 
with a long spike, pointing in a straight line with the surface of the comb ; the comb should be firmly and 
evenly set on the head, the top level, and covered with points. Hen. — The same, only very much smaller. 
Head, short and smart ; Face, smooth, colour, red ; Eyes, full, colour, red ; Ear-lobes, white, smooth, and as 
round as possible — cocks, as large as a half-penny, hens, as large as a sixpence; Wattles, hen, well rounded, 
and free from wrinkles ; Plumage, very profuse ; Xcck, medium length, and slightly arched ; llacklc, very 
full, and a good length, coming well over the shoulders ; Breast, prominent and round ; Back, medium 
length; Wings, large and neatly tucked up; Tail, a good length, carried at an angle of 45 degrees, sickles 
and secondaries broad, plentiful and sweeping ; Thighs, slender, short, and neat ; Legs, small-boned, taper, 
and medium length, toes slender and well spread — Spangles and Pencils, a leaden bUie ; Blacks, a leaden 
black ; Size : Pencilled cocks should weigh about 4^ lbs. ; Spangled and Black cocks, a pound heavier. 
Pencilled hens should weigh about 3^ lbs. ; Spangled and Black, a pound heavier. Carriage : Head erect, 
chest well out, and the whole appearance lively and graceful. 
Silver-Spangled Cock. — Hackle, a silvery white, each feather tipped with small black dagger-shaped 
tips. Breast and Thighs, white, each feather tipped at the end with a round spot or spangle (the greener 
the better), small near the throat, and increasing in size towards the thighs, but never so large as to overlap. 
Shoulders and Wing-boivs, white, with narrow black dagger-shaped tips at the end of each feather, increasing 
in size until they merge into what is called the third bar ; Wing-bars, two in number, and sometimes three, 
formed of large beetle-green spangles running parallel across each wing with a gentle curve, each bar distinct 
and separate ; Secondary Flight Feathers, white, tipped with large, round beetle-green spangles, which form 
what are called " steppings ;" Bach and Saddle, white, with small black dagger-shaped tips at the end of 
each feather ; Tail, white, both inside and outside, ending with bold, half-moon shaped spangles ; Sickle 
Feathers, white, with large, round, beetle-green spangles at each end of the feather ; Tail Coverts, the same, 
but the spangles a trifle smaller. 
Silver-Spangled Hen. — Head, black and white, mixed ; Neck Hackle, a silvery white, ticked from the 
top of the head w-ith dagger shaped tijjs, which generally increase in width until they merge into rich green 
spangles at the bottom ; Breast, Thighs, Back, Saddle, Shoulders, and Wing-bows, every feather white 
