378 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



monstrosities in the fifth toe, and I would 

 never myself breed from a Dorking with either 

 a double nail or a gouty foot or toe. 



" The Dorking should be a long, low bird, 

 standing on short legs, and clean, hard feet, 

 with a full, round breast. The cock should 

 have a comb of medium size firmly set on 

 the head, and a fine, flowing tail ; the hen 

 with her comb well turned over to one side. 

 In both sexes I like to see the comb of a 

 nice, fine texture ; a cock with a big, coarse 

 comb lopping over being always to me an 

 eyesore. 



cocks make the best stock-birds, while several 

 high-priced and noted winners that I have 

 bought, for a change of blood, have proved 

 quite useless for breeding, probably either from 

 over-forcing or over-exhibiting. Many prefer 

 breeding from an adult cock, especially with 

 pullets ; but I rarely ever use any but cockerels, 

 as I find them much more reliable in producing 

 stock early in the season. In any breed in 

 which size is of importance, in-breeding must 

 not be carried too far ; but at the same time 

 I do not consider a constant introduction of 

 fresh blood at all so necessary as many do. 



Breast. Wing. 



Fig. 117. — Feathers of Dark Dorking Hen. 



" In breeding Dark Dorkings I like a big 

 cock, broad and flat in the back and full in 

 breast, with large masculine head and firmly 

 set comb, free from side sprigs. He should 

 stand well on his legs, and should be possessed 

 of a fair amount of bone, too fine a leg-bone 

 being often accompanied by a general want of 

 substance. My own fancy in a stock cock is 

 what the Scotch call 'a big, rough bird,' and 

 if possible one that has been but little exhibited. 

 I would much prefer to breed from a big, raw 

 cockerel, coming from a yard where winners 

 were bred, not bought, rather than from a crack 

 show bird. Strange as it may seem, I have 

 rarely ever myself found the most perfect show 



A great point is to find out what particular 

 strain blends well with one's own, and when 

 getting fresh blood I always try to obtain 

 birds with a good amount of my own strain 

 in them. 



" In breeding Dark Dorkings I never match 

 up separate pens to produce cockerels and pullets, 

 nor do I consider it necessary. My fancy in 

 cocks is the lighter shade of plumage, that is, 

 a whitish neck and saddle, ticked or striped with 

 black or grey, but I object to the very white 

 hackles that remind one of a badly coloured 

 Silver-grey. My reason for ^ preferring the 

 light-feathered cocks is that they are much 

 more likely to produce white-footed chickens ; 



