37 
and, in style and character, denote the preponderance of Spanish 
blood. Their plumage is a rich, glossy black throughout. The comb 
is peculiar to itself, being leaf, of moderate size, branching and antler 
like, somewhat like two horns pointing upward. The birds are of 
extremely delicate constitution and difficult to raise. The flesh is 
more delicate and juicy than any variety except the Game. It is a 
moderate layer of very large, white eggs, but by no means so good as 
the Spanish in this respect; as a table fowl it claims superiority; but 
it does not mature early—not nearly so early as the Houdans or the 
Crevecoeurs. 
The standard weight of cocks is 8J pounds; hens, 7£ pounds; cock¬ 
erels, 7£ pounds; and pullets, pounds. 
DORKINGS. 
This English fowl may be considered an ideal bird for general pur- • 
poses. It is hardy and can stand almost any amount of cold weather, 
providing the ground is not damp. This is proved by the fact that it 
does well in the northern 
part of Scotland and in 
the extreme north of Ire¬ 
land, among the Cum¬ 
berland Hills, and in 
other places equally cold 
and exposed. It should 
be remembered by those 
wlio contemplate raising 
this kind, that tlie soil 
must not be damp if suc¬ 
cess is expected. The 
Dorking (fig. 33) is one 
of the oldest of domestic 
fowls, if not the oldest. 
There are no definite 
records to show when it 
first lived in England, 
or whence it came, but Fig. 33.—Silver Gray Dorking cock. 
the supposition is that it 
was carried to England by the Ilomans, who evidently possessed 
chickens of similar characteristics. 
The chief distinctive mark of the breed is the presence of a fifth or 
supernumerary toe, springing behind, a little above the foot and below 
the spur. It has been sought by various writers to deprive Dorking of 
the honor of being the original and principal rearing place of this justly 
celebrated variety, and it is asserted that the true Dorking fowls are 
raised at Horsham, Cuckfield, and other places in the Weald of Surrey, 
and that the ancient and superior white fowls from Dorking are a degen- 
