January 20, 1863. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



57 



hat unless the tail and breast were perfectly black the bird was 

 lot true. Now, nothing could be more mistaken, and it was 

 lecided at the time not only that the points mentioned were not 

 aaential, but that they had nothing to do with the purity or 

 itherwiae. Yet a correspondent writes, he always thought a 

 >rize Dorking should have a black breast ; whereas he had seen 

 me with white spots or speckles all over it, and thereon he 

 tangs an objection to an award. More recently we hear from 

 Scotch show that birds of unquestionable merit were disquali- 

 ed because they were too dark in plumage. 

 It was to satisfy a longing that could not be legitimately 

 ncouraged that Silrer-Grey classes were introduced ; they were 

 concession made to those who, like our correspondent, would 

 are Dorkings to be birds of plumage. Here their own ideas 

 'ere embodied, and Dorkings were judged to colour. Eew 

 xhibitors have been satisfied. Nevertheless, the remedy is in 

 beir own bands, the points are thoroughly understood, and the 

 lack breasts are indispensable; but they are the exception, 

 nd even in these special classes numbers of cocks lack them, 

 f other proof were wanting, the statistics of the yards where 

 lorkings are bred would prove the difficulties attendant on the 

 ndeavours to breed them to feather or colour. That which 

 inateura have successfully tried has been to ally increased size 

 ad weight with perfect Bymmetry. This could never have been 

 one had there been any restrictions of colour. We give our 

 est support and our adhesion to the Silver-Grey classes, 

 'xhibitors send them in sufficient numbers to make separate 

 asses, and they have, therefore, a right to have prizes offered 

 >r them ; but they will only have done mischief if the amateurs 

 F them endeavour to disturb the rules that have guided our 

 ist judges in making their awards in the general classes for 

 any years. Such would be the effect of listening to the com- 

 laints that appear in the mild form of thoughts — "I always 

 lought," &c. ; " but I find," &c. — and such is the result of 

 vards for colour that discourage many old and good exhibitors. 

 "e have no hesitation in repeating, that which we have often 

 "fore said, and which the institution in many places of the 

 lver-Grey classes justifies us in repeating, if possible with more 

 infidence, that Dorkings are not birds of colour; that pro- 

 ded they are large and square, have five good claws on each 

 ot, are alike combed throughout the pen, and present no 

 aring disparity of colour ; that whether or no the cock has 

 lute on his breast or tail, or the hens are a shade darker or a 

 ade lighter, they have all the requisites for successful coinpe- 

 ion eo far as colour and comb are concerned. 



SILVEE-GEEY DOEEINGS DEFENDED. 



Hatin& read the article in your Number of the 9th of 

 ecember, suggesting doubts as the impolicy of continuing 

 parate classes for Silver-Grey and Coloured Dorkings, as a 

 eeder of Silver-Grey Dorking fowls for almost twenty years I 

 nfeBS I should regret if this suggestion were acted upon. 

 The Silver-Grey, if properly bred, will never become grey on 

 e breast. It is quite true that where they are thrown out 

 indiscriminate breeding, as is not unfrequent, no dependanee 

 n be placed upon them ; and it is more than probable on the 

 eond moult that coloured feathers may and will appear both 

 the breast, back, and wings. Many such birds are shown in 

 e Silver class as chickens that never can again compete in the 

 ne class. This arises from want of sufficient care in the 

 ection of stock birds for crosses. It may be that a bird may 

 ve himself all the characteristics of purity of blood, but may 

 obably be an offshoot from an indiscriminate yard. 

 The Silver-Grey, in my judgment, ought to be a counterpart 

 the Silver-Duckwing Game. The comb should be large and 

 ill defined, deeply and distinctly serrated, not projecting unduly 

 :o the beak, and perfectly upright ; with breast and tail straw- 

 loured or whitish ; back and hackle with certain well-defined 

 irking? on the wings. The hens should be pure silver-grey, 

 free from brown on the wings as may be ; the breast salmon 

 lour, not, as is too frequently the ease in winning pens, one 

 n or sometimes both nearer approaching a brownish-white ; 

 e fifth claw separate and distinct, well defined, of sufficient 

 :e, and well formed. Any pens not coming up to a defined 

 uidard ought to be disqualified if exhibited in this class. If 

 operly bred they will never become, however old, grey on the 

 east, as I can testify from long experience, for I have hens 

 ree, four, and five years old that are as pure and true in their 



markings as they were when chickens, and so similar that unless 

 marked the different strains could not be known. 



All breeders of Dorkings ought to be obliged to "E. C." for 

 the able article in your Number of the 9th of December relative 

 to the Dorking class at Birmingham, and if his suggestions were 

 carried out as they ought to be, and defined characteristics 

 attended to by the judges, exhibitors would be more careful in 

 their selection of the birds composing a pen. A well-defined 

 fifth claw, so important a feature in a first-class Dorking, seems 

 to be, to a great extent, disregarded, and short, imperfect, and 

 in fact connected or ill-defined claws, seem to be by no means 

 uncommon. 



In the Silver-Grey class at Manchester, in Class 1, the prizes 

 were awarded to pens having several glaring imperfections. The 

 combs of the cocks were both imperfect. The hens in neither 

 of the pens matched, a hen in one pen having Bpeckled feathers 

 in the breast ; in the other pen one heu had a salmon breast, 

 the other a browny white. One of the rules of most of the great 

 shows is that condition and brilliancy of plumage and well- 

 defined markings, not mere weight, should be the standard for 

 approval. Weight ought certainly not to be disregarded in a 

 Silver Dorking, though it should not be the primary consideration. 



Fond as I am of breeding the Dorking I would not accept the 

 best pen of Coloured birds, as all interest with me would cease, 

 mere weight being apparently the only desideratum. The Silver 

 bird, when pure, is in my eye a comely and handsome bird, re- 

 quiring some judgment to breed ; his Coloured namesake is 

 generally a large, shapeless, and fluffy-feathered creature, having 

 nothing but size, produced in many instances by crossing with 

 Cochin, Brahma Pootra, &c. — a step no Silver-Grey breeder dare 

 venture to try. 



The numerical preponderance in favour of the Coloured bird 

 at exhibitions arises from the fact that breeders of the Silver 

 birds, from want of care in selecting stock birds for crosses, find 

 themselves at sea, and in despair of righting themselves fall back 

 upon the Coloured birds. 



It is quite true that the Silver bird is fa9fc approaching the 

 Coloured even in weight ; still they are as distinct in their main 

 features as any of the Game classes, and I venture to hope as a 

 breeder, but only a casual competitor, that the time may be 

 long distant when your suggestion will be carried into effect. 

 I know very many who hold the same opinion. 



If this suggestion is worth anything, it goes to undermine the 

 classification of Game fowls ; there being as much difference 

 between the Silver and Coloured Dorking as there is between 

 the Black, Brown, or Duckwing Game. 



I have endeavoured to show from my own experience that, 

 as regards your remarks in reply to " A Breeder of Silver- 

 greys" in yours of the 6th inst., the fowls on which your con- 

 clusions were based were not Silver birds proper, hut offshoots 

 from indiscriminate breeding. — Another Breeder oe Silter- 

 Grexs. 



COEK POTJLTEY SHOW. 



The poultry exhibited were of various degrees of merit. The 

 Spanish were particularly good, Miss Drevar and Mr. Hodder 

 taking prizes with birds that would be regarded as first-class in 

 any ahow in England. Thirty pens of Dorkings were exhibited, 

 and, as was the case last season, were very good. Cochins, as a 

 whole, were poor ; but Mr. Perry's prize Buff and Mr. Zurliorst'a 

 White were remarkable exceptions to this general rule. The 

 Game classes showed a great lack of knowledge of this beautiful 

 variety. Duckwing cocks were matched to Black Bed hens and 

 vice versa, the birds exhibited were destitute of anything like 

 style or beauty, being short-necked, loose- feathered animals that 

 no Game-breeder would endure in his runs. From this sweep- 

 ing denunciation one or two pens must be exempted. Mr. 

 Perry won in old birds with a good active-looking Black Bed 

 that won as a stag last year. But most of the other winners 

 were as lumpy and loose-feathered as Dorkings, and some 

 very nearly as heavy. The Gold and Silver-spangled Polish 

 were not so strong as last year, owing to the absence of 

 the birds of Mr. Palmer Williams; but the Gold and Silver 

 winners were well-crested and well-marked pens. Miss Drevar 

 swept the White-crested Black class with better birds than are 

 generally aeen at any except the very largest shows. The pen 

 of Silky Bantams belonging to Mrs. Hodder were as good as 

 any we have seen lately, the black comb and wattles being well 

 developed, and free from any tinge of redness. 



