Breeding Short-faced Beards. 
i 77 
when both mandibles are frequently black. But in all head properties most colours in Beards are 
very deficient, and the only colour we have seen at all approaching perfection in these points has 
been the Blue. Even in this colour, though we have seen several cocks which were really fine 
specimens (all being bred, so far as we remember, either by Mr. Fielding of Rochdale, or Mr. 
Woodhouse of Lynn), yet strange to say, we never saw but one single hen which deserved to be 
called really good. The reason of this, as in the Balds, is probably the certain fact that it is very 
difficult to breed hens as good in colour as the cocks ; so that there is greater difficulty still in 
getting a hen which is thus good in colour and also in other properties. We do not think we ever 
saw a really matched pair both for quality and colour combined ; and as for other colours than 
Blue, we cannot say we ever had the pleasure of seeing birds that deserved to be called more than 
fair second-rate quality, judging by the same standard as is applied to other short-faces. We 
hope, however, to see this altered. 
It only remains, in describing the bird, to say it should be as small as possible. It ought to 
be little if any larger than the Almond, though a little more size may be allowed. 
In breeding to improve the present Black Beards, we would pair the best Black Beard cock we 
could get to a Short-faced Black Tumbler hen, and select from the progeny the best bird, which 
showed the nearest markings to the Beard, to breed with another Beard. If this could not 
be done, we would next season match the father with the most likely young hen ; and if 
another Beard cock could not be had, even match the mother to one of the young cocks 
showing most of the Beard marking ; afterwards proceeding in the manner already described for 
Baldheads. The cross with the Black Tumbler hen not only improves the head points, but the 
more important points of head and carriage, these latter being very rare indeed to see really good 
in the so-called Short-faced Beards. Of course, when crossing in this manner, we would select a 
bird with as much Beard marking as possible, and with as many flights white as we could get, in 
order to impart as much of this, and as speedily as possible, to the Black cross ; and, on the other 
hand, the colour of Black Beards being usually bad, the Black hen should be as good as can be 
found in this point. 
Blues, especially the cocks, being the nearest to what is desired, we need only advise to breed 
the best Blue cock obtainable with the best Silver hen, and, conversely, the best Silver cock with 
the best Blue hen. Each of these crosses, as in Balds, is for the purpose of getting better-coloured 
Blue hens, the one cross being for cocks, and the other for hens. There is also the same danger as in 
Balds, that while the colour is improved it is accompanied often by Kite bars ; but when a bird 
with this fault is produced really good in other points, breed it to a deep, bad-coloured Blue. 
These are to be found easily, and are very often the best in head and beak qualities ; hence this 
cross not only corrects the bars, but usually produces good head and beak birds. 
As to Reds and Yellows, the quality of all we have ever seen has been so poor as not to 
deserve the name of Short-faced at all. We never yet saw a single good specimen of either 
which deserved to be called more than pleasant-faced ; and yet there are more means within 
reach of improving them than with either of the other colours. For instance, if the fancier 
has a decent Red Beard cock showing plenty of the beard, with not less than eight and 
eight flights — if ten, all the better — breed it with a good Red or Red Agate Short-faced 
hen, for the improvement of head properties, and “ breed back,” as so often described. 
If the breeder knows the difference between a “ made ” and natural head, he will be all the more 
likely to experience success, through making a good choice for head properties. As a guide to the 
amateur (not only in this object, but in all selection of Short-faces), we may note that one sign of an 
honest head is that the beak, instead of appearing extraordinarily straight, or even pointing 
23 
