As the female is colored very much the same as the male, it will be unnecessary to describe her markings in detail. But it is to be noted that the lines of the female are never so rich as those of the male, that the markings are apt to be less distinct, and that the margins of the feathers are, as a rule, gray in color. Considered by herself the female would be considered a very handsome bird, but regarded in connection with her more richly colored mate, she has a very sober and modest dress, as becomes her sex. The Bronze is the most popular variety among turkeys, due probably to its great size, and perhaps also due in some measure to its increased hardiness, secured by the infusion of Wild blood in its origin. At any rate, whatever be the cause, the Bronze turkey is bred very largely, and more largely than any other variety. Mr Barber adds: "When the golden sun is slowly sinking in the sky, what lovelier sight can meet the eye than a flock of brilliant-hued Bronze turkeys, as they homeward plod their weary way, to eat and drink, to roost, and perchance to dream of the fat grasshoppers they will find on the morrow. JUDGING BRONZE TURKEYS. BY GEORGE WOLFF. [We presume the average reader will be interested to know that Mr Wolff, although a paralytic since infancy, is one of the most experienced breeders and judges of turkeys. His being a cripple has made him a close student in his work, and we believe he has a more exact knowledge of the Bronze breed and its markings and qualifications than any living person.] This exceedingly popular breed of Turkeys challenges the admiration of all, with its lustrous plumage, strutting carriage and prodigious size. It is, by all odds, the most hardy breed of turkeys yet introduced. The standard weight for Bronze turkeys is: Cock 32 lbs, hen 20 lbs, cockerel 24 lbs, pullet 15 lbs. Some 15 or 20 years since, such weights were considered enormous. But the majority of the Bronze turkeys that are now found in our best breeders' yards exceed the above weights. It has been my pleasure, on several occasions during the past few years, to see, at our best exhibitions, adult toms turn the balance at 38 to 45 lbs, and hens 24 to 32 lbs. If breeders will only continue to mate for great size, the day is not far distant when we will see birds of even a greater weight. In judging, I am a strong advocate of specialty judges. It is ripe knowledge in any business that prepares a person for a successful undertaking. I do not believe there is a professional judge on the face of the earth who can successfully compare or score the several different classes of fowls he is sure to find at most of our exhibitions. Turkeys, particularly, often suffer, as many of our professional judges reside in cities and never saw a turkey, except in the show pen or at their Thanksgiving dinner. Great size and weight is the most necessary element of a Bronze turkey. No matter how fine a specimen may be in plumage, if it lacks size it drops back to nothing but a mongrel. To get the symmetry of a turkey in judging, is often quite a tedious undertaking. It may require considerable patience and coaxing to get the bird to stand in proper position, especially if it is a young bird that has never been exhibited. A model show specimen should be moderately tall and very rangy, evenly proportioned and well balanced in all shape sections and very sturdy in appearance. The color of the male turkey's head may change during excitement, but when in a natural condition it should be bright red, the corunculations extending well down on neck, with a large, well-developed wattle. When scoring I find but few judges who pay any attention to color or shape of head. This is a mistake, as many specimens are faulty in color and shape, and should suffer a cut of one-half to one, according to the defect. The back must be well curved and of good width. Many specimens are faulty in the back, being too straight and This bird won the grand prize offered by the New York fanciers' club some years ago. He was two years old, weighed forty-five pounds, and was bred by Sherman Hartwell, of Connecticut. With seven fine hens, he was bought by William Simpson, and exhibited at numerous poultry shows in England, capturing prizes in every case, and proving superior to any English-bred turkeys. The fine picture we present is from an instantaneous photograph by Smalls, taken for the American Agriculturist, and drawn by Keeler. narrow. The breast must be full and nicely rounded, but not to drop so low as to injure the form, as is sometimes seen in aged toms. If a specimen is really brilliant in color, there is but little chance to cut till you get to wing, back and tail, and sometimes legs. The primary wing feathers must be black, or nearly so, each feather to be evenly penciled with white or gray bars. Many Bronze turkeys are very faulty in primary color, as those feathers are very apt to be too dull and irregular in penciling, especially as we near the quill ends of those feathers. The secondary feathers are not so clearly defined, and usually have a narrow edging of white or gray on the outside web of feathers. As you leave the center of secondary feathers, and count up towards the back, the color rapidly changes to a bronzy brown, which has more or less luster when seen in the sunlight. Occasionally we find a specimen with solid black feathers, and sometimes several of them in primary or secondary feathers. They should be punished by heavy cutting. It is a grand wing, indeed, that escapes with an honest cut of one point. The standard calls for a black tail irregularly penciled with narrow bands of light brown. It is a mistaken idea for a judge to think a Bronze turkey must have a fully penciled tail, for I find that brown predominates over the black in most every instance with such tails, and if a person continues to breed from birds with fully penciled tails, we soon destroy the black band on tail covert, that is so much admired by true Bronze turkey fanciers. Again, I will say that where we use so much penciling we lighten the color of thigh in many specimens, and I would advise judges to be more lenient with tails containing less penciling. Many years since, I discovered white penciling under the tail covert on the main tail feathers of many Bronze turkeys. It usually confines itself to two or four of the center feathers, and sometimes extends the entire length of the tail feathers. It usually keeps out of sight from the ordi nary observer by not extending beyond the covert. The markings are similar to those of primary wing feathers, but are usually not so decided in white. I have examined flock after flock for this defect, and find it every time. This defect should be punished without mercy, and, I am ashamed to say, many of our best breeders and judges have never discovered it. Can you blame me for asking for specialty judges? We often find the edging to tail covert and lesser coverts, as they extend up the back, to be cinnamon in color. It denotes Wild blood and should be cut as a defect, as such edging should be of a dull white or gray. It is seldom that we find young turkeys as brilliant or clean in wing color as aged birds. The female is like the male in color, only not so clear or brilliant, and the breast feathers must be edged with dull white, or gray. If breeders and judges will only accept my advice, they will find I am leading them to the brink of success. THE BLACK TURKEY. H. S. BABCOCK. It is quite probable that the Black turkey was produced from the domesticated Wild, either by continuously selecting the blackest specimens, those showing the least ten dency toward bands, or that through melanism a black specimen or specimens sported from the common kind, and became the foundation of this variety. The Black is a long-established variety. In certain parts of England it was, until quite recently, the favorite variety, and is known there as the Black Norfolk, having been long bred in Norfolk. The introduction of the Bronze turkey into England has done considerable, in recent years, to depose it of its quondam supremacy. The Black is a handsome variety. All black fowls are handsome, American prejudices to the contrary notwithstanding. Black plumage means black beak and legs, or approximately so, with white skin. Black is the most lustrous plumage we have. In the sun |