HISTORY OF ANCONAS 
73 
Note the point of each hip and the base 
of the neck to see if they form as 
should be an equilateral triangle or 
whether the neck is so far forward as 
to make a long narrow triangle. We 
do not want a long slab-sided bird, but 
one with broad hips and a well set 
neck and breast. Now turn the bird 
with its side toward you and note the 
three points of another triangle here; 
the base of the tail, the drum stick end 
of the leg, and the base of the neck. 
This triangle also should be equilateral. 
The breast should be full and well 
rounded out in front of this triangle 
and the abdomen should be well round¬ 
ed out behind the triangle. Beware of 
a bird that is hollow chested or pinched 
off behind. Now place right hand over 
the bird’s back just behind the wings, 
with thumb on one side and fingers on 
the other, and examine the ribs to see 
if they be well rounded (indicating 
good lung capacity), then draw hand 
back along the back to see if the hips 
are broad and whether this broadness 
extends well down to the base of the 
tail. With thumb along the breast 
bone and fingers along the back notice 
the depth (indicating heart capacity). 
See also if this depth extends well back 
toward the tail. Apply the well known 
Hogan test for distance between end 
of breast bone and pelvic bones, also 
distance between them and thinness 
of pelvics so as to form a conclusion as 
to the bird’s ability to produce eggs if 
a female and to be a utility breeder 
if a male. 
Note carefully the little feathers at 
the base of the comb on either side of 
the comb. It is claimed that if they 
are silghtly erect and curled at the end 
it indicates that the bird has good 
blood lines for egg production. The 
writer suggests that each breeder pro¬ 
cure a copy of the Standard of Perfec¬ 
tion and study his bird point by point 
to become familiar with the specifica¬ 
tions of a perfect Ancona. 
