THE POULTRY BOOK, 
127 
the number of their admirers, and the high prices given for birds within the last 
few years ; consequently the breeders of these birds have had such a call for them 
that any birds bred by crossing the different strains, if at all near the mark for 
colour, have been hunted up and sold for high prices. The result of breeding 
from these fine-feathered cross-bred birds is to produce foul-feathered chickens; 
sometimes they are crow-winged with dark bodies, others are ginger or robin-breasted, 
and many other shades of brown-reds are produced, but all without the striking 
contrast that ought to be seen in the different parts of the plumage of a pure 
brown-red. 
“ The purest strain of brown-reds — I mean a strain that has not had any black, 
red, duckwing, blue, ginger or pile cross for many years — will still produce several 
shades of colour in one brood, showing that the breed may have been crossed at 
some period. The colours in brown-reds that I have found to come most certainly 
like the parents are a light streaky-breasted cock, with back and shoulder coverts 
dark crimson; saddle red maroon on centre, passing off to a dark lemon and straw; 
hackle red, with the middle of each feather dark. Hen with the body nearly 
black, but intermixed with grey on the wing ; the hackl-e bright brassy or golden. 
By breeding from dark- wing birds, and dull deep red cocks and coppery- 
hackled hens, you obtain hardy-looking fowls, but with no beauty of plumage, and 
very little distinction in colour ; but the ginger-breasted cock mated with light 
brown-red hens, with feathers streaked with gold, produce many chickens like their 
parents. The dark streaky-breasted cocks, if mated with light-coloured hens, some- 
times throw those clear-feathered, streaky-breasted cocks that are so much admired. 
The cross with a good feathered black-red cock and dark brown-red gold-hackle hen 
sometimes produces beautiful cockerels, but nothing will give so much satisfaction 
as the first named put together, if the birds happen to hit. 
‘‘ The other colours of brown-reds are seldom shown, and as it is doubtful if 
they ever will become favourites, it is not necessary to describe them, especially as 
it is almost impossible to breed them true to any particular colour ; in fact they 
come anyhow, at random, and amongst some of the best broods they will make 
their appearance at times. 
“ In duckwing game the cocks, to be correct in colour, should have the 
hackle nearly clear white, with a very slight tinge of straw colour, without 
any decided yellow tinge or dark streak on the feather. It may be asked. Where 
are we to see such birds ? I can only say there have been such, and I am in 
hopes of seeing them again before many years. The saddle should be as nearly 
as possible the colour of the hackle ; the back a maroon straw ; the shoulder 
coverts a rich brass or copper maroon ; the breast and tail pure black. The hens, 
to match these cocks, should have their necks of a clear silver striped with black, 
the silver to go right up to the comb, but being a little darker above the eyes ; the 
back and shoulder coverts, a bluish grey shaft of feather, scarcely showing any dif- 
ference from the rest of the feather — any approach to red or pencilling is decidedly 
objectionable ; the breast salmon colour, of a nice rich shade. 
