194 THE DORKING FOWL. 



Cocks, with all their outward trappings and sturdy build, I 

 must suspect to be deficient in vigour. If many Hens are 

 allowed to run with them, clear Eggs will disappoint those who 

 want large broods of Chickens. Three, or at most four, Hens 

 to a Cock will give the most successful results.* These and a 

 few other apparently trifling facts seem to show that with the 

 Speckled Dorkings (a variety of great antiquity) the art of 

 breeding has arrived at its limits. That it has limits is well 

 known to persons of practical experience. Sir J. S. Sebright 

 says, " I have tried many experiments for breeding in-and-in" 

 (for the sake of developing particular properties) "upon Dogs, 

 Fowls, and Pigeons : the Dogs became, from strong Spaniels, 

 weak and diminutive lap-dogs ; the Fowls became long in the 

 legs, small in the body, and bad breeders." 



" There are a great many sorts of fancy Pigeons; each 

 variety has some particular property, which constitutes its sup- 

 posed value, and which the amateurs increase as much as pos- 

 sible, both by breeding in-and-in, and by selection, until the 

 particular property is made to predominate to such a degree, 

 in some of the more refined sorts, that they cannot exist with- 

 out the greatest care, and are incapable of rearing their young 

 without the assistance of other Pigeons kept for that purpose.'* 

 The Art of Improving the Breeds of Domestic Aviinials, p. 13. 



As mothers, an objection to the Dorkings is, that they are 



* Chaucer's Cock Chatmteclere, who was probably a Golden Ham- 

 burgh, had a larger allowance : 



" This gen til cok had in his governance 

 Seven hennes for to don all his plesance, 

 Which were his susters and his paramoures, 

 And wonder like to him as of coloures, 

 Of which the fairest, hewed in the throte, 

 Was cleped faire Damoselle Pertelote." 



The Nonnes Preestes Tale. 



