162 DIFFERENT BREEDS OP POULTRY. 



In no breed is size, form, and weight so much regarded in 

 judging the merits of a pen. The body should be deep and 

 full, the breast being protuberant and plump, especially in the 

 cock, whose breast, as viewed sideways, ought to form a right 

 angle with the lower part of his body. Both back and breast 

 must be broad, the latter showing no approach to hollowness, 

 and the entire general make full and plump, but neat and 

 compact. Hence a good bird should weigh more than it 

 appears to do. A cock which weighed less than 10 Ibs., or a 

 hen under 8 Ibs., would stand a poor chance at a first-class 

 show ; and cocks have been shown weighing over 14 Ibs. 

 This refers to the Coloured variety. White Dorkings have 

 degenerated, and are somewhat less. 



The legs should be white, with perhaps a slight rosy tinge ; 

 and it is imperative that each foot exhibits behind the well- 

 known double toe perfectly developed, but not runliing into 

 monstrosities of any kind, as it is rather prone to do. An 

 excessively large toe or a triple toe, or the fifth toe being some 

 distance above the ordinary one, or the cock's spurs turning 

 outward instead of inward, would be glaring faults in a show- 

 bird. 



The comb may, in Coloured birds, be either single or double, 

 but all in one pen must match. The single comb of a cock 

 should be large and perfectly erect. White Dorkings should 

 have double or rose combs, broad in. front at the beak, and 

 ending in a raised point behind, with no hollow in the centre. 



In the grey or Coloured variety the colour is not absolutely 

 uniform, and formerly many colours were shown, the cock's 

 breast being sometimes black and sometimes speckled, with 

 more or less colour on his back and sides, and lighter or darker 

 hackles. On the other hand, hens were shown of a kind 

 of red speckle all over, and also a grey speckle, as well as 

 darker. From such the birds were termed " grey " Dorkings, 

 and they were not so large as those shown now. In or about 



