44 



THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 



are as often sure to follow in breeding for this cross, unless, when obtained, 

 the strain is kept pure for years, as in the case of the Derby Red Game fowls. 

 The only way to accomplish this is to remove all chicks from the pens that 

 do not show the perfect markings of the parent stock. 



Mr. HEWITT of Sussex, says the colored Dorkings are decidedly the most 

 useful of all fowls for general table purposes, and a very important point in 

 the consideration of the Gray Dorkings is that they grow rapidly, and are in 

 good condition at almost any age, if at all freely supplied with food. The 

 distinguishing colors of the Silver Gray Dorking cock are perfectly black 

 breast, tail, and larger tail coverts ; the head, neck, hackle, back, saddle and 

 wingbow a clear, pure, silvery white. Across the wings there should be a 



PAIR, 01T GKRAY DORKHSTOS. 



well-marked black bar, contrasting in a very striking, beautiful manner with 

 the white outer web of the quill-feathers and the silvery white hackle and 

 saddle. The breast of the hen should be of a salmon-red color, passing into 

 gray towards the thighs. The neck a silvery white, striped with black ; the 

 back silver gray, with the white of the shafts of the feathers distinctly 

 marked ; the wings a silvery or slaty gray, and free from any tendency to 

 redness ; the tail a dark gray, the inside nearly black. 



Dorkings, like other breeds of fowls, are apt to degenerate very fast from 

 inter-breeding, therefore care should be taken to introduce fresh blood fre- 

 quently, or disappointments are sure to follow. 



