cocker's manual. 141 



THE COCK. 



Head : Silvery-gray, long, thin and tapering, and very strong at its 

 junction with the neck. Beak, dark willow or horn-color, slightly 

 curved, and strong at the base. 



Comb, Wattles and Ear-lobes : Comb, in chickens that have not 

 been dubbed, single small, and thin, low in front, serrated, erect and 

 straight ; mature birds to be neatly dubbed, and free from warty ex- 

 crescences, small feathers, or ridges, on the edges. Wattles, red or 

 purple, very thin and smooth in texture. Ear-lobes, dark red or pur- 

 ple, small, thin, and smooth in texture. 



Eyes : Deep bay or brown, large, prominent and bright, with a 

 quick and fearless expression, and perfectly alike in color. 



Neck: Rather long and nicely arched, the hackle short and close, 

 and, in color, silvery-gray. 



Back : Silvery-gray, rather short, flat, broad across the shoulders, 

 and narrowing to the tail ; the stern slender and neat, and the sad- 

 dle-feathers very short and close, and gray in color. 



Breast and Body : Breast, broad, full, and round ; in color, black; 

 the shafts of feathers silvery-gray, the color growing darker as it ap- 

 proaches the lower part of the thighs. Body, very firm and muscular, 

 not soft or hollow on the sides, broadest at the shoulders and tapering 

 to the tail. 



Wings : Of medium length and powerful, the butts and shoulders 

 slightly raised, as if for a sudden spring ; the remainder not drooping, 

 but carried compactly against the sides, the points resting under the 

 saddle-feathers ; primaries, dusky-black ; secondaries, black, with 

 metallic lustre towards the ends of the feathers ; wing-butts, black or 

 dark gray ; wing-bow^, silvery-gray ; wing-coverts, rich, glossy black. 



Tail: Black, of medium length, carried well together, and at a 

 moderate elevation. 



Legs: Thighs, dusky-black, rather long, round, stout, hard and 

 firm, and placed well forward on the body. Shanks, dusky-willow 

 or broney-black, rather long, bony, clean and strong, and standing 

 well and evenly apart, the scales smooth and close, and the spurs set 

 on low. Feet, broad, thin and flat ; the toes long, straight and 

 spreading, and well furnished with strong nails ; the hind-toes set 

 low on the feet, standing well backwards and flat on the ground, 

 and not merely touching with the points, or duck-footed. 



