138 PROFITS IN POULTRY. 
Daniels, N. H., 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.—roor OF DORKING FOWL. 
vhe 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 
