138 PROFITS IN POULTRY. 



Daniels, N. EL, who carried the palm for his celebrated 

 birds, states that he never had a bird worth breeding 

 from that did not show white in his sickles at two years 

 old; such birds are liable to be marked disqualified at any 

 fair, as is sometimes done by judges who never kept and 

 never knew anything about Dorkings, except from the 

 Standard. The hen is a finely penciled steel-gray on 

 back shoulders, and lower back part of body; the shafts 

 of feathers on back form a fine white line, breast clear 

 salmon color or light robin-red, shafts of feathers a 

 lighter shade. The feet and legs of the hens, and also of 



Fig. 67. FOOT OF DORKING FOWI* 



Jie cocks, pink or flesh colored, with five distinct toes, 

 the fifth or upper toe well separated from the others, and 

 slightly turned up. The neck is of a fine silvery-white 

 color, with a black stripe down each feather. The dis- 

 position of this breed is very docile; no breed shows more 

 intelligence; they are the best of mothers, taking care of 

 their chicks for a much longer time than most fowls; 

 they are good layers of fair-sized eggs, and lay well all 

 through the summer; if not the best of winter layers, 

 they commence early and keep it up till late in the 

 season. One great advantage of this breed is, they are 



