This special re-print edition of the American Poultry Association's book "The Standard of Excellence" offers a unique look at poultry breeds during the late 19th century. Written in 1874, this classic text on poultry sheds light on the very first poultry exhibition standards adopted in the United States that will be of interest to those who are interested in learning more about how poultry breeds have been changed by breeders over the last century or more. This text will also be a valuable tool for those breeders who wish to re-select rare breeds of poultry along the lines for which they were originally suited. Note: This edition is a perfect facsimile of the original edition and is not set in a modern typeface. As a result, some type characters and images might suffer from slight imperfections or minor shadows in the page background.