20 
HISTORY OF ANCONAS 
32! 
SS2C 
N 
Ancona Mating 
By Frank C. Sticr 
The first essential in mating to pro¬ 
duce beautiful specimens is to have as 
your guide one of the latest Standards 
of Perfection. If you do not have one 
and you wish to succeed, my sugges¬ 
tion is, purchase one at once; they are 
advertised in this edition of “History 
of Anconas.” 
In the mating together of breeders to 
secure good results, there are several 
essentials to consider. First, and the 
most important, is to mate to produce 
birds of Standard shape. In accom¬ 
plishing this point you not only meet 
the Exhibitors’ but also the egg pro¬ 
ducing requirements, for it is impos¬ 
sible for a bird to be a high class ex¬ 
hibition specimen unless it has the 
proper body for egg production. It is 
generally felt that once you get the 
proper shape bred into your flock, the 
balance of points are much easier to 
secure. My experience in exhibiting 
has been that a Judge pays little or no 
attention to a bird of poor type, regard¬ 
less of other qualities. 
After carefully studying the illustra¬ 
tions as shown in the new Standard, 
select the number of females you want 
to breed from that approach the proper 
type, it being generally conceded that 
in order to produce correct type you 
must be particularly strong in your 
female line; therefore, aim to use in 
your breeding pens only those that ap¬ 
proach the proper ideal, even if you 
c nly have a few, for past experience has 
shown that it is a difficult proposition 
to secure proper type males from poor 
type females. 
In selecting your male, it is, of 
course, advisable to pick the best type 
bird you can according to the new 
Standard, but I prefer to sacrifice, if 
necessary, some in type to have him 
strong in other sections, such as color, 
head points, legs and lobes; in other 
words, get your type from the female 
side. 
The next important point is color. In 
making your selection, watch your un¬ 
der-color very carefully, particularly on 
account of the new Standard require¬ 
ments. In securing the additional mot¬ 
tling one is very apt to run some to 
white. This is a common fault and 
easy to get into, but will surely cause 
trouble in your breeding. Stick to your 
dark under-color even if at times you 
have to sacrifice a good specimen. If 
one has to use a bird with light under¬ 
color, let it be on the male side. It is 
hardly necessary to say that all lacing 
around edges of white tips should be 
avoided; also that the ones with the 
smallest tips are the most desirable. 
By careful selection each year, this 
point can be brought to a good state 
of perfection. The whiter and smaller 
the tips, the better. Best results in 
nice mottling are usually secured from 
the male side. In wing color, we all 
like them solid with many tips. There 
is no question in my mind but what 
the beautiful tipped males and females 
are secured from a male with a nicely 
tipped breast, the smaller the tipping 
the better. At that, I have secured the 
best results from females with solid 
wings, mated to males with some white 
flights. In this there is a great deal in 
knowing one’s breeding stock. 
My experience has been that there is 
a. limit that can be reached in every 
