Breeds of the Domestic Fowl. 



313 



raerary toe to prevent lameness in his fowls ; whereas, later 

 on, the most successful exhibitor of the breed used to look 

 over his chickens as they were hatched and at once destroy 

 any that had not five toes on each foot. This remorseless 

 process of selection eventuated in his strain being invariably 

 five-toed. Dorkings are of various colours, the white not 

 being as large as the darker varieties. The Surrey and Sussex 

 fowls, which constitute the bulk of the best birds sent to the 

 London markets, are largely crossed with the Dorking breed. 



Fie:. 8. 



^ £Jv % 



Spanish lieu. 



The Mediterranean breeds, as they are reared in this and 

 other countries where poultry shows are prevalent, have cer- 

 tain well-marked characteristics in common, namely, large, 

 thin, single, compressed combs, deeply serrated; these, in 

 show birds, must be erect in the cocks (fig. 7, p. 312) and 



