436 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
ya^ the pullets are several shades darker than the cockerels, whilst among them the black sports 
aie almost exclusively found. These dark hens have also often dusky or sooty or spotted legs and 
beaks. The bands are much broader in the hens, and, as a rule, duller as well as darker. The 
cockeiels are more prone to run into white or straw-coloured feathers, especially in tail and hackle. 
This being the natural tendency, it does little to correct it to mate light cockerels with dark 
hens that is the natural production of Nature, and simply perpetuates itself. Our own strong 
opinion is, that it should be recognised in a useful breed like this, and sexes not required in one 
pen of the same colour, as they certainly are not when fowls are shown on the single bird system. 
More attention could then be paid to the character and beaicty of the marking, which are often lost 
in the pullets, whose dark, dull, indistinct marking would not, we are given to understand, be 
tolerated in America. There can be no question that the narrower and more distinct the bands, 
with some adequate contrast between band and ground, the handsomer the marking ; and this is 
the kind the American breeders seek. They describe the desirable colour as “ greyish white 
barred with bluish black.” By greyish is to be understood blue-grey ; still, this is undoubtedly 
lighter than would apply to the colours usually shown in England, which might more correctly be 
described as blackish blue bars on a bluish grey ground. The English is undoubtedly a duller- 
looking bird than the American ; but the American cock is probably too light ever to be popular 
here. On the other hand we are convinced, from very careful observation, that the attempt in 
England to breed cocks down to the dark colour of the hens has been a mistake, and has lost 
marking, breasts being clouded and legs sooty ; whereas were the pullets to be in preference bred 
up to the average colour of English cockerels, the result would be better every way. It will 
always, however, be most difficult to breed both sexes from the same pen, unless the fact be 
recognised that the male is lighter than the female in this breed, by several shades. And prizes 
should, by no means, be confined to one shade, but darker and lighter birds be allowed to win, 
provided only the marking be good and even all over. Meanwhile, the mating to aim at in 
breeding Plymouth Rocks — in this all the breeders we have been able to consult practically agree — 
is to choose hens or pullets lighter than the average, with as fine and clear and uniform marking as 
possible ; and a cockerel somewhat darker than average, but sound in marking and colour. 
The barring should be visible on the cock’s fluff, and be solid in colour throughout. Such a 
slightly dark cock must not, however, be mated with an ordinary-coloured hen, or the result would 
be still darker, and perhaps some black birds. On the other hand, with a really light hen, an 
occasional black tail-covert might perhaps be risked in an otherwise fine bird. 
Pea-combed Plymouth Rocks are bred in America. They were admittedly due to a further 
cross with the Brahma ; and, as in Leghorns, we deem the multiplication of such crossed varieties 
as a decided misfortune. In America the danger of frost-bite in winter may be some excuse. 
White Plymouth Rocks originated in a sport, or reversion to one of the parent colours. They 
are said to have arisen in the yard of a Mr. Frost, of Maine. They occasionally breed cuckoo 
birds, so that three-fourths white is considered a good average. Otherwise they, of course, present 
much fewer difficulties in breeding than the Dominique birds, save, perhaps, the old one of turning 
a straw colour if exposed to too much sun. In all constitutional and economic qualities they 
appear identical with the original Plymouth Rocks. 
The cross between Plymouth Rocks and Leghorn, for winter laying, has been already men- 
tioned on p. 429. 
WYANDOTTES. — This name has been given to the last imported of the American breeds, 
the first specimens of which were imported into England, as far as we can learn, by Mr. J. Pilling, 
