CHAPTER rX. 
THE COLOUEED DOEKINd FOWL. 
H aving treated of those breeds that, from their recent Oriental origin, may 
perhaps be appropriately termed Asiatic, we now come to the consideration of 
that breed of fowl which is pre-eminently one of the most marked of English varieties, 
namely, the Dorking. But we are met at the threshold of our subject with the 
question of its origin. In most of the books on poultry it is generally stated that 
the coloured Dorking is descended from the fowls brought here by the followers 
of Csesar and his legions, and described by the Latin author Columella, who, when 
treating of the poultry kept by the Romans, states — It is not advisable to buy 
any but such as are very prolific. They should be of a plumage very red or tawny, 
with black wings. Let the whole be of the same colour, or of a near approach to 
it. But if of any other colour, let white fowls be avoided, for they are tender and 
less robust ; neither is it easy to find specimens of them that are prolific. Let the 
breeding hens be of a choice colour, of robust body, square framed, large and 
broad breasted, large-headed, with small, erect, bright-red comb, and white ears ; and 
of those thus characterized let the largest be procured, and not with an equal number 
of claws. Those hens are reckoned of the purest breed which are five-clawed, but 
so placed that no cross spurs arise from the legs; for she that has this male-like 
appendage is rarely fruitful ; and when she does sit she breaks the eggs with her 
sharp claws. 
‘‘ The cocks should be lustful, coloured like the hens, with the same number of 
claws, but taller ; proud of carriage ; combs erect and blood-red ; eyes brown or 
black ; beak short and hooked ; ears very large and very white ; wattles looking 
whiter from their shining, and hanging down like a beard ; the feathers of the neck 
or mane varying, but preferably from yellow to golden, and spreading down over 
the shoulders ; the breast broad and muscular ; the wings brawny, like arms ; the 
tail lofty, and composed of a double row of arching feathers, alike on each side : 
the thighs ample, and usually thickly clothed with coarse feathers ; legs sturdy, 
not long, but armed as it were with dangerous spears. Even when neither pre- 
pared for fighting nor for the triumph of victory, their temper should be shown to 
be highly generous, haughty, active, watchful, and given to crow often ; also not 
easily alarmed ; for sometimes it will be needful for them to repel attacks, and to 
protect their conjugal flock.” 
There are, however, many difficulties in the way of the supposition that our Dork- 
ings are descended from the Roman fowls. By far the most probable supposition is 
that the grey- coloured Dorkings are composite fowls, deriving, in all probability, 
