D0KKIK08.] 



POULTUT. 



[doukings. 



lu.Mr. Dixon'a Ornamental and Domestic 

 Fault ry, wo fiiul the follow in j:^ roinarka upon 

 this kind of fowl :—" For thus.^ who wish to 

 stock their poultry-yardd with fowls of the 

 most dosirablo shape and size, c-loLhid in rich 

 and varii'gati'd pluniai^o, and, not oxpectin!^ 

 perfection, aro willing to overlook one or two 

 other points, the speckled Dorkings aro the 

 breed to be at ouce selected, Tho hens, in 

 addition to their gay colours, havo a largo flat 

 comb, which, wheu they aro in high hcallh, 

 adds very much to their brilliant appearance, 

 particularly if seen in bright sunshine. The 

 cocks are magnificent. The most gorgeous 

 hues are frequoully lavished upon them, whicli 

 their great size aud peculiarly square-built 

 form display to the best advantage. The 

 breeder and the farmer's wife behold with 

 delight their short legs, their broad breast, the 

 small proportion of ofial, and the large quan- 

 tity of good profitable flesh. "When fattened 

 and served at table, the master and mistress 

 of the feast are satisfied. The cockerels may 

 be brought to considerable weights, and the 

 flavour and appearance of their meat are in- 

 ferior to none. Those epicures who now and 

 then like a fowl killed by dislocation of the 

 neck without bleeding (the more humane way), 

 will find that this variety aflbrds a tender aud 

 high-flavoured dish. 



"Dorkings aro better adapted than any 

 other fowl, except the Malay, to hatch super- 

 abundant turkey's eggs. Their size and bulk 

 enable them to aflford warmth and shelter to 

 the turkey-poults for a long period. For the 

 same reason, spare goose's eggs may be in- 

 trusted to them. But, with all these merits, 

 they are not found to be a profitable stock, 

 if kept thorough-bred and unmixed. Their 

 powers seem to fail at an early age. They arc 

 also apt to pine away and die just at the point 

 of reaching maturity. "When the pullet ought 

 to begin to lay, and the cockerel to crow and 

 start his tail-feathers, the comb, instead of 

 enlarging and becoming coral red, shrinks aud 

 turns to a sickly pink, or even to a leaden 

 hue ; and the bird, however well fed aud 

 warmly housed, dies a wasted mass of mere 

 feathers, skin, and bone." 



Aa a remedy for the above-mentioned weak- 

 ness, a fresh, well-selected cock-bird or two 

 should be introduced into the walk, every 



second or third year at farthcHt, With such 

 |)recaution carefully altendi'd to, tlio race will 

 gciu*rally bo much improved, Tho arrange- 

 ment is the best that can bo devised ; but tho 

 necessity for adopting it shows that the cocks 

 of this breed aro deficient in vigour, 



A high authority gives us tho following de- 

 scription as a basis for judging tho grey 

 Dorking : — 



The Cock. 

 Jio(h/. — Long and square; the back and belly, 



breast and behind, forming nearly ])aralkl lines. 

 7/t'a(/.— Comb erect, single, rather low than high, 

 serrated, free from cKft behind or side sprigs; 

 waxy eyes orange-red ; cheeks crimson-red ; ear- 

 lobe" small, whitish ; wattles turgid, rounded, not 

 pendulous. 

 Neck. — Hackles bright straw colour, either per- 

 fectly frie from markings, or having the mid-rib 

 black, and webs straw colour; if marked, mark- 

 ings must be distinct. 

 Buck. — Same colour and same markings as hackles. 

 .S"arW/e.— Ditto. 



Winq. — Shoulder clear straw colour, crossed with 



a broad, rich coloured steel blue bar ; flight 



feathers white, having the secondaries spangled 



or partly laced with black on the inner web. 



Breast. — Largest, clearest, and best black, least 



splashed with white. 

 Tin/.— Very full, black, well carried, shot with 



iridescent colours. 

 Legs. — White, shorter in proportion than other 



breeds. 

 Feet. — Five-toed; the articulation of the hind and 

 rudimentary toe to be perfectly defined. 



The Hex. 



Head. — Comb, when in high condition, falling^ to 

 one side, serrated, free from cleft behind or side 

 sprigs ; waxy eyes orange-red ; cheeks crimson ; 

 ear-lobe whitish ; wattles rounded. 



iVec/c— Hackles, mid-rib black; edges silvery white, 

 well defined. 



^ac/c— Shaft white; webs minutely dotted with 

 black on whitish ground, presenting a grc-y 

 appearance. 



Saddle. — Same, 



irui/;,— Shoulder same grey as back ; shafts broad, 

 and very distinct straw colour; flight, dark 

 brown. 



Breast. — Reddish fawn colour, 



7(1/7.— Full rich brown, with minute black mark- 

 ings ; edges approaching silvery. 



Zer/s and i^t'c!!,— White ; toes, five in number; 

 articulations clearly defined. 



Dorking (WniTE). 



7/^rtr/.— Comb single or double; if the former, sub- 

 ject to the same rules as the grey Dorking; if 

 double, the duplicature to be di.-.tinct. 



Body. — Clear white. 



Tail. — Full and well carried. 



Legs. — Five-toed ; articulation of toes well defined. 



Dorking (Pheasant and Speckled), 

 Of doubtful purity ; no markings to be relied on. 



819 



