D 'Off KINGS. IQ3 



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 lb., or a hen under 8^ lb., would 

 stand a poor chance at a first-class show ; and cocks have 

 been shown weighing over 14 lb. This refers to the 

 Coloured variety. White Dorkings 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 

 running 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 rose-combs are now scarcely ever seen. 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 the year 1858, Mr. John 

 Douglas, then in charge of the Duke of Newcastle's aviaries 

 at Clumber, crossed the English breed with a cock from 

 India. This bird was not a Cochin or Malay, as often 

 alleged, but of distinctly Dorking type in everything but 

 N 



