POULTRY. 513 



fowls is the tendency of yellow tinge to the plumage, especially in the cock; therefore it is 

 desirable to breed always from those birds having the richest and clearest white plumage, and 

 provide them with shade during the summer, to which they can have access. In general 

 characteristics the description already given of the Dorking breed applies to the White 

 variety. The plumage throughout should be a clear pure white; the comb should be rose, 

 and set firmly on the head, standing erect, square in front, the top flat and evenly covered 

 with small points or projections, and terminating in a spike behind that should be long and 

 nearly straight, pointing slightly upward. The legs should be white or pinkish white, and 

 the fifth toe well defined, separate from the others, and slightly curving upward. The eyes 

 are full and bright, and the carriage quite stately and aristocratic. Mr. J. Y. Bicknell, of 

 Buffalo, N. Y., a cut of whose fowls illustrates this breed, says of them: 



&quot;As a matter of taste, and as a characteristic of the Dorking family, I regard the fifth 

 toe as very important. The cut does not represent it to my liking. It should not only be 

 distinct from the others, but should curve regularly upwards. The Standard requires rose 

 combs for White Dorkings and single combs for others. Single combs should be even, 

 straight, of medium size, and free from side sprigs. Standard rose combs are square in 

 front, tapering back, even on top, free from hollows, with a true, single spike behind. In 

 selecting breeding stock be careful about good combs and toes, for they are quite apt to be 

 faulty. Never breed from a bird with short, straight, fifth toe, having the appearance of 

 being glued to the fourth. The popular idea that five-toed fowls are more subject to bumble- 

 foot than others is all nonsense. The fifth toe is entirely out of the way of corns, bunions, 

 or the tumors that characterize bumble-foot. Such tumor^ are always on the bottom of the 

 feet, and are as common to Spanish, Games, Hamburgs, and other four-toed birds as 

 to Dorkings. As to hardiness, they may be classed with Hamburgs and most of the smaller 

 varieties, yet they are not so hardy as Javas, Asiatics, or Plymouth Rocks. They will not 

 bear too much crowding, and when roup gets among them it proves very fatal.&quot; 



Cuckoo Dorkings. This branch of the Dorking family has the peculiar plumage 

 called in England &quot; Cuckoo color,&quot; but in America &quot;Dominique.&quot; It consists of a marking of 

 bars or pencilings of dark blue-gray on a ground of lighter gray, similar to the breast of the 

 cuckoo, though the color and shades may vary considerably, the ground-color sometimes vary 

 ing from nearly white to a bluish-gray, and the pencilings from a bluish-gray to nearly black. 

 They are larger than the white variety, and slightly smaller than the colored: but are fair 

 layers and the most hardy of the Dorking breed, which latter quality renders it best adapted 

 of all this breed for general farm use. The marking of plumage, as above described, should 

 be uniform throughout the body; the comb may be either single or rose, and, like all the 

 other varieties, a &quot;bright coral red. The chief obstacles in breeding these fowls for show is 

 the occurrence of an occasional reddish yellow, or black feather in the plumage, while, to be 

 a perfect specimen, the cuckoo color should be uniform throughout. Although comparatively 

 but little is known, this variety possesses merits that would make it a valuable fowl. 



Merits and Defects of the Dorkings. As a table fowl, the Dorking stands 

 unsurpassed, being peculiarly delicate in flavor, tender, and juicy, with an abundance of 

 breast meat. Their large size, early, maturity, and rapid growth, aiso tell much in their 

 favor, while their beauty of form and plumage are not the least of their merits. Gentle in 

 disposition, they make the best of pets, and seem to enjoy being petted, almost as much as a 

 cat does, being fully equal to the Brahma in this respect. For this reason alone, we could 

 commend them to ladies as being suited especially to their care. They make the best of 

 mothers also, never leaving their chickens until they are old enough to take care of themselves 

 in a measure, and are in this respect better than even the Cochins and Brahmas, as they 

 remain longer with their broods than most other breeds. They are however only fair in egg- 



