Characteristics of Light Brahmas. 
261 
the leg, and if the length be not too great we do not object to it, provided it is not, as is frequently 
the case, associated with too long a back, or other defects in shape. 
The shape and carriage of the hen should correspond with that of the cock, allowing for the 
difference of sex. Her head should in particular be as small as possible, this point being of much 
greater moment in her case, with the same slight fulness over the eye, giving to the face an 
expression we can only describe as “arch,” but at the same time peculiarly sweet and gentle. 
We like the head short and well arched; in fact, almost exactly that of a grouse, with the beak also 
rather short and curved, but not too much so. The neck in her case should always be short, and 
with the hackle spreading out very full at the base, and flowing well over the back and shoulders ; 
the back flat, wide, and short, as in the cock, with a very broad and ample cushion, resembling 
somewhat that of the Cochin. There is, however, this difference, which is characteristic, that 
whereas the cushion of the Cochin rather droops at the extreme end, burying the tail, the cushion 
of the Brahma rises to the last, the short tail rising nearly upright out of the end, so that the lower 
feathers of the tail are further behind than the upper. What we mean is seen exactly in the portrait 
of the Dark pullet which illustrates this chapter. Many of the pullets shown are nearly destitute of 
cushion, and narrow in the stern almost like a Spanish fowl ; these birds occasionally win from 
excellence in pencilling, but we cannot consider them good Brahmas. The shoulders should not 
be too sharp, but very neat ; and the wings tightly held to the body, and well tucked into and 
nearly buried in the cushion above and the fluff of the thighs below. A “ slab-sided” bird is not to 
be tolerated. Breast as broad, deep, and full as possible, with the crop low down, and the breast- 
bone well down between the thighs. The fluff ought to be very abundant, and stand well out, 
covering the hock precisely as in the cock. A Brahma hen must be short on the leg: legginess 
may occasionally be tolerated in an otherwise good cockerel ; but a leggy hen is of little value 
either for show or for the breeding-yard. In both sexes the shanks should stand as wide apart 
as possible, any approach to knock-knees being instantly disqualified ; and the feet should be 
rather large, with straight well-spread toes. 
We have now to consider separately the distinctive markings and breeding of the two varieties 
of Brahmas. 
LIGHT BRAHMAS. — The head of the Light cock should be white, the hackle silvery white, 
with a distinct black stripe down the centre of each feather. The shoulder-coverts, back, breast, 
thighs, and under parts are white on the surface, but the fluff or under-part of the plumage down to 
the skin is dull grey. The secondaries or outside wing-feathers are white on the outer web, and 
black on the inner web, causing the wing to appear pure white when folded; the primaries or flights 
black. The saddle-feathers may be either white, or (and this is rather to be preferred) white slightly 
striped with black ; tail-coverts glossy green black, those next the saddle being silvered on the 
edges. The tail should be rich glossy green black, with the two top feathers finely edged with silvery 
white, the white line being sharp and even all round, and about one-sixteenth of an inch in width. 
This point when perfect is a very great beauty, and generally a sign of good and careful breeding, but 
it is now so rare that it cannot be insisted on. The shape of the tail is already described; in default 
of that conformation, what would be sickles in another breed should diverge laterally like the tail 
of the black-cock ; but in either case it should be nearly upright, and the tail of the Cochin is 
not to be sought after. The shanks should be bright yellow, the feathering being white slightly 
mottled with black. Perfectly white shank-feathering is, if possible, to be avoided. 
The hen should have a pure white head, the brilliant red of comb, deaf-ears, and wattles 
contrasting very distinctly. The neck-hackle should be the same clear white ; distinctly, darkly, 
