Langshaa/s. 
243 
back ; under parts are uncertain blending of white and light yellow as in other black fowls. 
One likes a black fowl to be black, naturally ; and other things being equal, it is desirable to 
select birds for breeding which have had the fewest white chicken feathers. But we would never 
sacrifice more valuable qualities for this. 
Of Langshan crosses, the only one worth noticing is that with the Minorca. This is a 
cross of real value, increasing the size of the egg, while generally retaining the colour. It 
seems of about equal value made either way ; but, on the whole, we prefer the Minorca father. 
This cross has always given satisfaction wherever we have known it tried, and, “ on the 
average,” is the very best layer we know, when a good type is chosen : it is reported on 
favourably from experience in our chapter on Poultry as National Food. The “ Orpington ” 
must also be regarded as a cross, but will be described elsewhere. 
WHITE LANGSHANS. — The propensity to white feathers, and occasionally splashes, has 
already been noticed. A hen so marked was recently found to produce occasionally a pure white 
pullet amongst the black ones; and by careful breeding from these with a black cock, Mr. R. J. 
Pope of Barcombe, near Lewes, a very successful exhibitor with the ordinary Langshan, has estab- 
lished, a white variety. At a visit we paid to his yard in 1888 he had about 70 white chickens 
and adults. The birds are not “ albinos,” not having the pink eye which is one characteristic of 
that curious variation ; but simply a white variety, in all respects similar to the black Langshan 
in conformation, and differing only in colour. It is, however, very interesting to observe that, 
according to what we have said as to connection between leg-colour and plumage, the shanks 
differ in colour as well as the feathers. The black scales have become a pale blue, as in White 
Spanish fowls, and even the peculiar pink colour has assumed a lighter shade, more resembling 
that, of the White Dorking, though still distinct from that colour. The beak has become white, 
as might be expected. Black fowls of the same parentage were the usual colour in all respects. 
For those who prefer a white fowl, as many in the country do, the white Langshan may 
be safely commended as likely to be more profitable than any other of the white breeds. It 
will be interesting to observe whether the difference in colour should be followed by any 
difference in laying, or other respects, in birds absolutely known (which is very seldom the 
case) to be of identical modern origin with one so well tested as the black Langshan. 
JUDGING LANGSHANS. — For many years the much-abused judges got no help whatever 
from the “standard” put forth by Langshan admirers. The flagrant earlier contradictions have 
been already indicated ; but up to even a very few years ago the revised standard described no 
fowl at all in particular, and whilst in one place it gave white feathers anywhere as a disqualifica- 
tion, stated in a note that in certain places they were permissible! It is very curious to note that 
since Miss Croad withdrew from the Langshan Society things have very greatly improved in this 
respect, and at last we are able to give, something like a definite standard for this fowl, as issued 
by the Society in 1892. Those who can compare it with earlier standards, as published in former 
editions of this work, will see that marked changes have been made, and that several hints we 
have given from time to time, both in this work and in other quarters, have been adopted. The 
points for size, which we always insisted were too many, are finally reduced again from 20 to 15 ; 
the tail is described as “ flowing,” and squirrel-tail made a disqualification ; fluff has now points 
ofiven to it as a defect, and so on. The legs are still “rather long,” a point belonging rather to a 
laying than a table fowl— otherwise we find little to question in the standard as now modified, 
which is also workably definite and comprehensible. 
