13 
Tlie shank feathering should correspond with the breast, being black if 
the latter be black, and slightly mottled with white if not. The shanks 
are deep yellow, inclining to orange. 
The color of females is a white ground, closely penciled with dark 
steel gray, producing a beautiful eifect, frosted or silver gray in appear¬ 
ance. There should be no show of pure white in the plumage except 
in the margins of the hackles. Unless extreme care be taken in mating, 
the hens are likely to have a dingy color, and the pullets are apt to 
have necks almost white for some distance down. These light-necked 
birds generally breed to worse, but theovil may be remedied by choos¬ 
ing birds for breeding whose heads are distinctly marked. The shape 
and character of the markings of the Dark Brahma pullets also vary. 
Fig. 11.—Pair of Bulf Cochins. 
They should be medium-sized, so that the pencilings can be clearly dis¬ 
cerned at a short distance. A great point in regard to color and mark¬ 
ing in Brahma pullets is that it should be uniform over the body, and 
the hackles should be silvery white, heavily striped with rich black, and 
the shank feathering penciled same as body. 
For practical purposes the Dark Brahmas are not to be commended as 
highly as the Light. The close breeding for points in feathers is likely 
to interfere with their productiveness, yet with proper attention and 
care they can be bred profitably as well as for beauty. 
The standard weight of Light Brahma cocks is 12 pounds 5 hens, iU 
pounds; cockerels, 10 pounds; and pullets, 8 pounds. The standard 
weight of Dark Brahma cocks is 1 1 pounds; hens, 8 £ pounds; cockerels, 
1) pounds; and pullets, 7 pounds. 
