BUFF LEGHORNS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1756, 1 November 1905, Page 61

BUFF LEGHORNS.

Mr Proctor, a well-known breeder and authority says:—That Buff is one of the most difficult colours to attain in perfection will be admitted by most people who ever attempted to breed it. This is owing to a general striving for immediate effect., to the disregard of what may be termed staying quality of colour. But it is n»> less true that Nature has placed barriers in. the way of breeding this true to perfection in excess of most colours. There seems to be mucli misapprehension as to what constitutes buff. At the outset, let us consider the meaning of the word buff in its present application. However defined in the abstract, buff in connection with fowls refers to the red pigment w’hen diffused; throughout the entire plumage, black being wholly or in part eliminated; which tint may vary widely in shade, consequent upon the different amount of red used in its make-up. The narrow sense wherein buff is used to signify a certain distinct shade I do not favour, since it tends to a confusion of meanings. The term Buff Cochin includes all possible shades of colour seen upon that variety. And so I would insist up>n the broader meaning* especially as fanciers have never been able to agree upon any particular shade as exclusive buff, nor to convey, by means of words, any distinct tone of colour so definitely as t*> leave no chance for misunderstanding. Buff may be considered to have its beginning in the disappearance of black from the plumage, which generally ensues when a cross is made with a white specimen. If in making the cross, instead of a white fowl, one was used in which the habit of albinism had been, inperfectly established, as the Light Brahma or Plymouth Rock —which varieties have a tendency to display more or less black upon every feather—the Pile type will not intervene; the direct result being an apparent buff in many specimens, black disappearing from the surface and forming the unaereolour. At this point the development of the buff fowl a natural law contravenes to interrupt our work —this tendency of red to disappear along with the black, as if Nature, having shut down in the matter of black, were making a kick against keeping her paint mills going for the sake of only one of her departments, and the production of an insignificant amount.at that, so that some have asserted the necessity of occasionally resorting to a black-red cross to acquire a fresh supply of colour. But look at the fallacy of such a. claim. The amount of red seen upon the black-red fowl is comparatively small contrasted with bnff fowls, in which red has actually been conserved for a few generations for UK such we find the plumage—with, the exception of portions of the wings and tail given to black—of a deep reddish buff from tip to skin, including shaft. The tru th is, that when necessity for a blackred cross arises it is because the deeper tinted males—the use of which as breeders would have preserved a plentiful supply of colour—have been sacrificed to the show room requirements; these winners being quite generally used as sires, with the entailment of constantly fading plumage If we select these darker Buffs, breed from them persistently we will soon remark that the tendency towards white undercolour disappears, the augmented red pigment appearing in undercolour as well as upon the surface, this change being marked by the appearance of black in plumage. While the specimens free from black have been, in spite of the most careful selection, constantly losing colour, those with a small amount of black in wings and tail are found to grow darker as to both surface and uncolour with each successive generation. We may thus distinguish two classes of Buffs governed by distinct rules in breeding. The -me may he regarded as a modified Pile, and as such is susceptible to constant depletion of colour, which must; be fed from some outward source, and resembles the Pile in being a true cross rather than a breed. The other class, containing a small amount .of black, is a modified Black-red, in which the proportional amounts of the two colours have been transposed, so that red largely predominates over black, which colour seems to act as a talisman to shield its wearer from loss of colour.. Like the Black-red, this class of Buff is selfexistent in the matter of colour. It is essential that the very perceptible distinction between these two natural classes of Buffs be observed, to emphasise which separate terms of description should he applied. If the fraternity should adopt the name Pile Buff for the lighter, and Red Buff for the darker class, and the distinction kept carefully in mind, it would be a step out of the difficulties attending to the breeding of this colour. It is the Pile Buffs alone that are subject to the necessity of occasionally renewing their stock of colour. The Red Buffs have a cinch upon so to speak, for acquiring more red through the simple prpeess of selection. This has never met with the degree of favour that has been accorded the tighter colour, for in contrast with the latter 9 more uniform surface colour, its several varying value?® of rod, in combination with black, make it appear anything hut a solid-caLoaxred fowl. But a careful study of the subject can result in but one conclusion —that exhaustive development of the Red Buff is tlm only key to breeding Pile Buff to the highest possible degree of success. Before closing. I should like to sav, in regard to the newer varieftes of Buff fowls, that the presence of black in plumage should not be condemned unqualifiedly either in judging or estimating breeding value. It is not so bad as it looks- It should be confined to wings and tail, esp°cially the underparts of these, but discriminated against severely if found as an undercolour to the remaining parts of the body. In selecting a breeding specimen I should place the quality of undercolour in continuing surface colour downward towards the skin above all other considerations'; apparent breeding value ahead cf that and in awarding prizes, I would place superior external effect that goes with white undercolour