222 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
as we have described pullets much too light would be produced ; but such is not the case if the 
strains can be at all depended upon. In all cases the pencilling on the hens must be very dark, 
almost if not quite black, and the breast especially zvcll covered with solid pencilling — this last 
being most important of all. 
Starting with such dissimilar pens for breeding the different sexes, it will be very desirable to 
amalgamate them into one, which shall breed both sexes in a satisfactory manner. This can 
certainly be done ; but it will take a few years to effect it. It will best be commenced by selecting 
well-marked pullets, very heavy and solid — indeed black, in the pencilling, but with a comparatively 
clear brown ground-colour, and mating them with those cocks from the cock-breeding strain which 
show a medium margin-colour but have the densest stripes in the hackles. Much will depend upon 
getting rid of any white in the shaft of the cock’s hackles, and upon choosing for stock-birds only 
those which are sharply marked in the lesser tail-coverts, with good dark-headed as well as dark- 
breasted hens ; but by carefully selecting these points a strain may at length be formed which will 
breed a large proportion of good pullets with a very fair number of exhibition cockerels, most of 
which last will have hackles of a very deep orange-red colour, approaching in front to a rich red. 
For the following remarks we are indebted to Mr. Hewitt, who wrote them in reply to a query. 
They will not only confirm what we have said as to the marking now approved by the best judges, 
but give valuable instruction of their own to those who attempt the breeding of this difficult variety 
of Cochins. It may be as well to add, for the sake of those who have lately entered the poultry- 
fancy, and therefore only knew Mr. Hewitt as its most valued judge, that he was for many years a 
skilled Cochin breeder. 
“ I certainly do not myself like the light-coloured shaft in the feather you speak of, as such 
marked hens very rarely produce cocks clearly listed (striped) on the hackle and saddle-feathers, 
or of a good solid black on either the throat or fluff-feathers. These hens are generally tawny or 
‘ foxy-headed ; ’ that is, the crown of the head, and sometimes the uppermost throat-feathers, are 
mostly without pencilling, and of a ground-colour (whether it be marked a little, or net even at all) 
very similar to a fox or hare behind the ears. Hence such birds are well known in the fancy as 
' foxy-headed hens.’ Whether or not they be streaked on their body-feathers, I am decidedly 
opposed to these birds ; for from a goodly number I bred many years back, and from constant 
attention to the result in the case of other breeders of many years’ experience, I know beyond any 
doubt that these tawny-headed hens always breed cocks ruddy-feathered on the thighs and throat, 
than which nothing can be more objectionable. Again, the cocks are usually quite light and plain- 
coloured in the hackles and saddle-feathers, whilst even the shoulders have no intensity of colour ; 
and of course such ‘ foxy’ hens breed ‘ chips of the old block’ as regards their otvn sex. Really 
good hens are alike to the wattles, and nearly so even over the head to the very nostrils ; that is, 
pencilled all over with dark colour as on the body, leg-feathers included. Such birds are very 
attractive in colour, and much admired even by persons who do not as a rule care for show fowls.” 
Really first-class Partridge Cochins are very beautiful in the show-pen. 1 he saddle-hackles 
of a first-rate cock, especially, show a hard and “waxy” lustre which only the Game fowl can 
surpass ; and were more good birds bred and shown, we doubt if any variety would surpass this 
in popularity. But unfortunately it has been, more than most, subject to “ crazes ” or caprices 
of fashion. For many years leg-feather was almost always short, and good shape very rare. Since 
then the rage for ample feather has invaded the variety, and enormous hocks are now more 
common than even in White Cochins. Last of all has come a mania for intense black pencil- 
ling, with a green lustre, on the hens. As we have already observed this marking is foreign 
to the breed ; and there has in fact been ample evidence, both in the shape of pea-combs and 
