STANDARD VARIETIES OF CHICKENS. 
7 
should be as even in width, as parallel, as straight, and as well carried 
down to the skin as possible. Each feather should end with a narrow , 
dark tip. The barring in the hackle and saddle is narrower than in 
other sections. The alternating dark and light bars give a bluish 
cast or shade to the general color, which should be even throughout 
the surface. It is common for solid black feathers or feathers which 
are partly black to occur in practically all strains in this variety, but 
this should not be taken as a sign of impure breeding. 1 >1 sick spots 
are also common occurrences on the shanks, particularly in females, 
but this does not indicate impurity. 
There is a decided tendency for the males of this variety to come 
lighter in color than the females, and for this reason breeders are 
usually obliged to resort to two separate matings, one for the pro¬ 
duction of males of standard or exhibition color and the other for the 
production of females of standard or exhibition color. This system 
of breeding is known as double mating. In mating for males of ex¬ 
hibition color a male of about standard color is used with medium 
