183 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE DORKING FOWL. 



THIS has been called the Capon Fowl of England. It forms 

 the chief supply for the London market, and is distinguished 

 by a white or flesh-coloured smooth leg, armed with five, in- 

 stead of four toes, on each foot. Its flesh is extremely deli- 

 cate, especially after caponization ; and it has the advantage 

 over some other fowls of feeding rapidly, and growing to a 

 very respectable size when properly managed. The weight to 

 which they sometimes attain goes much beyond that recorded 

 by Mr. Dixon. Indeed, the weight given by him for first-class 

 birds seems ridiculously small in comparison with that given 

 by some others. Mr. Nolan, of Dublin, remarks, that " the 

 humblest cottager in Ireland would smile at the idea of a 

 learned English ornithologist, stating that his specimens of 

 fine Dorking Fowl weighed only 7 Ibs. each, while our road- 

 side birds can be had from 7 to 9 Ibs." Mr. Nolan, I think, 

 is disposed to be a little sanguine, as we do not often meet 

 with " road-side Fowls" whose weight is as he states. A 9 Ibs. 

 bird, of any breed, is a sturdy fellow. But hear what he says 

 of the weight of his own Dorkings. He says that he has a 

 Cock in his possession, " out of condition and in heavy moult, 

 which weighs 10 i Ibs. ; if fed, and over moult, he would be 



