332 The 1 llustrated Book of Poultry. 



plumaged birds have such a marked preference over others that colour can no longer be ignored 

 in any scale, though our notes do not justify us in giving it so much weight as in other breeds. 

 As we stated in an earlier chapter that the scales we present do not represent in several particulars 

 our own wishes or views, we think it well to say more definitely here that in this particular 

 especially we would wish matters otherwise, and that we give weight to colour against our own 

 desire entirely. We think it was well there should be one breed not judged by fancy points, but 

 by table value, if such standards could only be maintained ; and shall rejoice if any further change in 

 this matter tends again towards the scale in Mr. Tegetmeier's old " Standard of Excellence" rather 

 than our own. Meantime, however, we can only present our analysis of actual judging as we find 

 it ; and the present state of things furnishes a somewhat curious comment upon the views we have 

 already advanced * as to the absolute necessity for arbitrary standards in judging fowls at shows. 

 Formerly Dorkings were very greatly judged by weight, and the evils of tliat system were plainly 

 seen in those over-fattened birds we have already alluded to. By degrees these evils were dis- 

 covered; but as soon as "condition" began to have more importance allowed it in comparison with 

 mere weight, the appearance of the bird came into the scale, and the handsome appearance of the 

 dark birds gave them a sensible advantage over the grey pens, besides the fact of Mr. Douglas's 

 new dark stock being almost always really larger than the old.f Thus by degrees, no doubt, the 

 eyes ot the judges became accustomed to prefer the darker strains, which have now made it rather 

 difficult for lighter birds to win, and nearly impossible for hens irregularly splashed or coloured, or 

 which otherwise present an unpleasing appearance. The weight that ought to be allowed to colour 

 we have found it very difficult to determine ; the more so because nearly all judges labour under 

 the (perfectly honest) impression that they do not give it any weight at all : but it is simply 

 impossible, as any accurate observer may satisfy himself by trial, to reconcile the great bulk 

 of the awards in Dorking classes in any other way. We have found much more weight evidently 

 allowed to colour at some shows than others, even by the same judges, which may partly be 

 accounted for by variation in light, kind of pens, &c. ; but have done our best to calculate a 

 fair average, though we must admit that we have found most of those few exceptional awards 

 (we speak only of evidently correct ones, always rejecting manifest blunders) which refuse 

 apparently to be reconciled with any definite Scale of Points at all, amongst the Coloured 

 Doiking classes. 



There is one case in which the scales and weights should always be used in judging Dorking 

 classes, in simple fairness to exhibitors. We refer to those occasions on which White, Silver-grey, 

 and Coloured birds compete together. Unless this be done, it is impossible that the light birds 

 should have justice done them, for the reason already stated, that white fowls of really the same 

 size and weight invariably look smaller by the side of dark ones. Had this precaution been 

 observed, the White cock mentioned by Miss Fairhurst would not have been beaten by a bird 

 really a pound lighter in weight ; though, from repeated personal test on our own part, we feel 

 perfectly satisfied that he really appeared the largest to the eye of the judge. 



* See page 113. 



t Mr. Hewitt writes on this point : "My own experience is, that as an almost invariable rule the dark-feathered Dorkings of 

 the present day really are the most weighty and thick-set birds if taken in hand. I do not allude to purposely fatted fowls, which 

 afterwards are frequently unprolific ; but birds in proper breeding condition as stock fowls." We can corroborate this from 

 experiment ; and very naturally the almost invariable nature of the rule would lead a judge, unless he actually weighed the 

 buds, to conclude that, even in case of what might be an occasional exception, the dark pen was still the heaviest, and to 

 decide accordingly. 



