Cuckoo Dorkings. 327 



prospect of success ; several White Dorkings of unusual size and merit being very conspicuous, 

 besides the famous Coloured stock. Unfortunately, that particular experiment was terminated by 

 Lady Holmesdale's retirement from "the fancy" soon after; but at the public sale by auction of 

 her celebrated strain its success was fully demonstrated, several White Dorkings of very unusual 

 size being brought to the hammer. One fine bird in particular, Mr. Martin informs us, weighed 

 - slightly over twelve pounds, and not being at all fat, might easily have been made to weigh 

 thirteen. This bird won at very nearly all the great winter shows following, standing clearly out 

 far above his competitors ; and probably the influence of even the few birds then sold has had 

 something to do with the perceptible increase of size during late years. 



In the cross at Linton Park we are informed that " the method employed was to put a massive 

 Coloured cock, the darkest that could be spared, to White Dorking hens. The first cross from 

 this is cuckoo-colour ; and these birds were crossed again into the White, when many White birds 

 appeared, and after that there is no difficulty." The reason for choosing the darkest cock possible 

 was, that in all changes of colour the transition from black to white is invariably made with 

 greater ease than any other, just as crossing Black-red and White Game produces a Pile, the red 

 being unchanged, but the black converted into white. As these pages go to press, we learn from 

 Mr. Martin that he has commenced the same experiment again, using for the purpose his celebrated 

 Crystal Palace rose-combed prize bird ; and amongst the results already attained is a fine cockerel, 

 which at eight months old scales ten pounds and a half without any "feeding up" whatever. Such 

 fruits as these point out a legitimate field for the skill and enterprise of White Dorking breeders. 



The result of many inquiries we have made would tend to show that White Dorkings are 

 somewhat hardier than the Coloured, besides being far better layers. A contrary opinion has, 

 however, led to their being crossed in various cases with the White Game ; and there is not the 

 slightest doubt that it is this cross which has produced some at least of the weedy birds so often 

 seen at shows. Such stocks not seldom breed single combs, and are apt to prove uncertain about 

 the fifth toe ; indeed, whenever we see very narrow, slim-looking birds, with the fifth toe imperfectly 

 developed, we feel pretty sure the strain has been contaminated in the manner described. The 

 motive has no doubt been to improve the constitution ; but the Game Fowl does not possess a 

 single quality adapting it for a cross with the Dorking breed ; and if the chicks be brought up in 

 a natural and hardy manner they will be as robust as any Game-crossed stock. The cross just 

 described, however, will be found to improve the constitution as well as size. 



The greatest difficulty in breeding White Dorkings for show consists in the tendency of the 

 cocks to become yellow or dirty Straw-colour in the upper plumage, which they share in common 

 with nearly all white fowls. As in the case of White Cochins, it is necessary to breed only from 

 the birds which show the richest and clearest white ; and to provide shade during the summer, if 

 even the best birds are to be kept in show condition. We have, however, occasionally seen cocks 

 whose dazzling purity of colour left nothing to be desired ; and though we must admit that we 

 have found such specimens very rare, they prove the possibility ol attaining a perfect standard with 

 patience and care. 



CUCKOO DORKINGS. — There is a fourth variety of Dorkings, in which the plumage is 

 what is called in England " Cuckoo-colour," but in America " Dominique," and which may be 

 exactly seen in the plate of Dominiques which illustrates the chapter on American breeds. The 

 marking consists of bars or pencillings of dark blue-grey over a ground of lighter grey. The 

 precise shade of marking may vary considerably, the ground-colour ranging from almost white to 

 bluish-grey, and the bars or pencilling from bluish-grey to nearly black. This variety is generally 



