25 
faint bluish tint all over. A tendency to ruddy gray, either in ground 
color or penciling, is objectionable. Tlie tail is black or dark brown, 
except the two upper feathers, which are light gray. The penciling or 
markings are irregular or wavy. 
The White Leghorn, like the Brown, is one of the most generally 
bred of the Leghorn varieties. It is, no doubt, the most advantageous 
to breed for profit, and the easiest to raise on the farm. Being of one 
color in plumage these birds are more successfully raised and cared for 
than the parti-colored varieties. Their plumage is pure white through¬ 
out, and feathers other than white will disqualify them. It has been 
a matter of much speculation as to which variety of Leghorns is most 
prolific in egg production. This is a difficult question to properly 
adjust to the satisfaction of the specialty breeders, but from a con¬ 
servative standpoint it is generally 
considered that the Whites have 
slightly the advantage over the 
others. Phenomenal individual egg 
records have been made by almost 
all varieties, but the above opinion 
is advanced from the general results 
obtained from various sources. 
There are subvarieties both in Brown 
and White Leghorns—the Bose-comb 
Brown and the Rose-comb White. 
The only distinguishing difference 
between the last named and the other 
varieties is in the comb. The Rose- 
comb White and Rose-comb Brown 
Leghorns have a small rose comb 
(see fig. 23), square in front, firm and 
even upon the head, tapering evenly 
from front to rear, without inclining to one side, the top comparatively 
flat and covered with small points, or corrugations, terminating in a 
well-developed spike in the rear. There is no standard weight given 
for Leghorns. 
MINOKCAS. 
The Minorcas belong to the Mediterranean class, and they are placed 
next to the Leghorns in laying qualities. They are in appearance very 
similar to the Leghorns. Their general outline is, in fact, that of the 
latter, but of more length of body and heavier in mold. Indeed, they 
are the only variety of the Mediterranean class that has a given weight 
which approaches that of the Wyandotte, being only one-half pound 
lighter. The origin of the Minorcas, like that of so many others of 
our profitable poultry, is much in doubt. Some are of the opinion that 
they originally came from Minorca, one of the Balearic Isles in the 
Mediterranean Sea, while others contend they are a variety of the 
Fig. 23.—Rose-comb White Leghorn cockerel. 
