The 'Dozens' is a pattern of mutual insult widely distributed among American Negroes. The clean Dozens is distinguished from the dirty Dozens. In the latter, accusations of incestuous or adulterous behaviour are made in regard to the accused. In the former, jeers concerning the inferiority, stupidity or cowardice of the person addressed, or his relatives, are the stock in trade. The collective aspect of Dozens play is important, since the watching crowd serves as a sounding board for all insults. The Dozens does not countenance jeering openly at white people but it confines aggressive expression within Negro society. It serves as a safety valve for aggression in a depressed group.