The American Standard of Excellence, Giving a Complete Description of All the Recognized Varieties of Fowels (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 Excerpt: ...forming a wide bar across the wings, and free from chestnut patches. Tail: Large, full, and a rich, deep black in color, and carried at a moderate elevation: --Sickle-feathers, a rich metallic or greenish-black: --Tail-coverts, a rich, glossy black, the lesser coverts having an edging of white. Legs: Thighs, stout, and of medium length, and black in color: --Shanks, of medium length and stout, and white or flesh-color: ---toes, five in number, the fifth toe being distinct from the others, and curving slightly upwards. Carriage: Very bold and dignified. THE HEN. Head: Of medium size, neat in shape, and in color of plumage, silvery-white or ashy-gray: --Beak, rather short, stout, and nicely curved, and light flesh-color or white: --Eyes, full and bright. Comb: Bright red, and single or rose; if single, to be well developed, and to fall over to one side, with smooth and even serrations; if rose, to be square in front, straight and firm upon the head, with small points on the top, and terminating in a spike behind, which inclines slightly upwards. Ear-lobes And Wattles: Ear-lobes, red, and of medium 'size: --Wattles, bright red, rather broad, and well rounded on the lower edges. Neck: Large, and of medium length; color, silvery-white. Back: Broad and long, and in plumage, a silvery or slatygray, free from dark bars or marks across the feathers. Breast And Body: Breast, deep and full, and salmon-red in color, shading off to gray towards the sides: --Body, deep, broad and long, and in color, silvery or slaty-gray, free from dark bars or marks across the plumage, and the shafts of the feathers white; underpart of the body, gray. Wings: Large, and well folded against the sides: --PrimaRies, dark brown: --Secondaries, outside web slaty-gray, inside web dark brown: --Wing-bo