268 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
ought, if possible, to be entirely free from brown, even in the wing-bar. Turple reflections in 
the tail are also improper, the right colour being a very bright greenish black, while the bar on the 
wing should appear positively green. The more black there is towards the front part of the back 
the better, and the hackle and saddle-feathers ought to be solidly and very distinctly striped. 
Supposing the bird perfect in these respects, almost all will depend on the colour of the under 
parts ; and Mr. F. Wragg, formerly manager of Mr. Boyle’s yard, lays great stress* on the breast, 
thighs, and fluff being pure black, which seems at first sight reasonable enough. We are, how- 
ever, satisfied from experience that it is to this rule, or more particularly to the principal stress 
being laid on the blackness of the fluff , that the white heads and pale breasts so frequently seen 
in silver-grey pullets are due. If a black-breasted cock can be procured, the fluff may be black 
with no ill result ; but while black fluff is common, an entirely black breast is more rare : and if 
the bird have the least white mottling on that part, while the fluff is black, the effect will almost 
invariably be that the pullets bred from him are very dark behind, but too light on the breast 
and head. On the other hand, we have always found that a cock with the fluff slightly mottled 
produced better pencilled birds than the pure black, provided the middle of every feather were 
quite black, and all the white confined to the edges. Very often, indeed, the shaft of the feather 
shows white in the fluff of the cock, with more or less white or grey about the centre of the 
feather also; these birds will almost invariablyf breed just such “streaky” pullets as described. 
But if the shafts and whole centre of the feathering be a rich black, with only a lacing of white 
at the tip and edges, no such result need be apprehended ; and all that has to be stipulated for 
a probable good result is, that the breast, whether mottled or black, be darker, or at least fully 
as dark, as the thighs; the hackle well striped ; and that his hens have good dark breasts. Two- 
thirds of the pullets bred will probably then be fit for exhibition, provided his mates have the 
requisite breast-pencilling. This last is after all the most important point, and without such 
mating the best cock in the world cannot be relied upon for pullet-breeding. A bird of first-class 
pullet-breeding blood may indeed breed various beautifully-marked birds, even from streaky- 
breasted hens ; but these will be exceptions, not the rule, and such is not good or scientific 
breeding. 
It is a singular fact, that by continually selecting cocks with wings perfectly clear from brown, 
a tendency was for a long time always developed to increase the brown, thus producing the very 
thing so carefully shunned. The brown so developed in the cockerels was however very different 
from that in darker strains, being of a dead or rusty tinge, and often stained or mingled with 
white. This fault also was, however, vanquished by the skill of the best breeders ; and there are 
several well-known yards which now breed clear-winged cocks of very intense colour and unex- 
ceptionable breeding qualities. 
* He speaks thus : “I wish to repeat that for breeding I select a cock with all the under parts perfectly black. I especially 
dislike to see the fluff on the cock’s thighs with white in it. Many of the chickens from such a parent would be very bad in colour, 
showing light streaky feathers on the breast.” — Practical Poultry Keeper , p. in. 
t We say almost ; for a few years ago, at the best show of the year, we were asked by a well-known breeder to give our 
opinion of a cock, which had taken the second prize. The bird was fine in shape, size, and colour, all but an unusual amount of 
streaky feathers about the thighs. While, therefore, commending him as a show bird, we remarked that he would breed very bad 
pullets, and were much surprised to hear in reply, “Why, he breeds pullets to perfection !” Some of his progeny at the same 
show were pointed out to us ; and though neither the judges nor ourselves admired them much, they were free from streak, and we 
“ owned up ” that we did not know quite all about breeding Brahmas yet. Since then we have had a very streaky bird of 
our own breeding which bred some of the best pullets we ever saw. In this case, however, it is worthy of remark that the 
hens put with him were first-class, such as we had refused £ 20 per pair for, and the bird 1 imself was descended from very solidly 
pencilled hens. 
