May 2, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



in the fi-ont ; this plan seemed to keep the bii-ds happy ; they could 

 amuse themselves hy picking the grass, and the eye was pleased 

 by the green, and then aU dirt was hidden by the gi-een sod 

 lying in the fore part of the pens. This is a great improvement, 

 and just the thing for, at any rate, a summer show. Instead of 

 sand or chaff, a good sprinkling of fine-sifted shingle was at the 

 bottom of the pens. 



Class 1, that for Capercaillie, was unfortunately unrepresented. 

 These birds are rare in England. Some years since there was 

 an attempt to introduce them into- West Sussex by, I think, the 

 late Sir Charles Taylor, or Mr. Poytz, of Cowdray Park, but it 

 was not successful. Stuffed specimens are, or were as recently 

 as 1853, to be seen in several farmhouses in the neighbourhood 

 of Midhurst. 



Class 2 contained the gems of the Show — namely, five pens of 

 Black Game. They seemed in excellent condition, and were 

 apparently contented with their caged lot. The male bird with 

 his glossy blue-black plumage, dark biU, deep blue eyes, and 

 forked tail is indeed a noble specimen of bii-d beauty. To many 

 lookers-on no doubt this bird was quite new. He is a very at- 

 ti-active bird, quiet, watchful ; his eye, full and large, watched 

 everyone. The female of these bh-ds is qmte different to the 

 male, and somewhat smaller in size, her colour on head, neck, 

 and breast being striped transversely with dusky red and black. 

 I describe the colour of these birds more especially, because to 

 many they were unknown. They were the very gems of the 

 Show, and birds much suited for exhibition. 



Next class, Eed Grouse, but no entry. Next Ptarmigan, not 

 any, but a Willow Grouse of a somewhat similar colour to a 

 Ptarmigan. These birds — I mean Ptarmigans — I have often 

 watched on the motintains in Aberdeenshii-e. In summer they, 

 like the mountains, are slate colour ; in winter they, like the 

 mountains, are snowy white. "Wonderful provision of Nature ! 

 It must be a keen eye to distinguish the birds — indeed you 

 cannot, save by their movement. The 'WUlow Grouse exhibited 

 was grouse-coloured and white. The class for American Prairie 

 Grouse brought no entry. Of the seven classes for different 

 Pheasants the most distingiiished, and the greatest favourite 

 evidently, was the Eeeves's Pheasant, a glorious bii-d, part 

 spangled and part laced in pliimage — the grandest of the Phea- 

 sant tribe. I measured the two central feathers of the tail of 

 this variety — they were afterwards placed over the pen — and 

 foimd them fully 5 feet in length. Of the other Pheasants their 

 colouring is better known, whether the English, or the bright 

 Golden, or deUcate Silver. The hybrids, as usual, are more 

 interesting than beautiful. What mule was ever half as pretty 

 as either a horse or a donkey ? Of the Partridge there was but 

 one pen of English, five of the wild red-legged variety, the most 

 restless birds in the Show. Of the pretty Uttle Game bii-d sort 

 of Partridges in miniatiire, I mean Qiiails, there were several 

 entries of English and two of Chinese. One splendid Turkey, 

 a hybrid, represented his class. I may note that the pens for 

 the Pheasants are next year to be larger. 



Of the Bantams, which were certainly not much noticed be- 

 cause of the novelty of the birds with which they were shown, 

 there were some good pens. Of coxu-se the Black-breasted 

 Game were the most numerous of the Game classes, but both 

 Black and White mustered strongly. Abbreviated Eumpless 

 and uncomfortable-looldng Frizzled were there, antique-looking 

 Cuckoos, and Nankeens very unlike the Nankeens of thirty 

 years since were also there ; but, as I said, the newly-shown 

 Game birds took all eyes. 



Further, beyond the Show towards the tropical department 

 were arranged some cases of stuffed Game birds, particularly 

 two of Ptarmigan in their winter plumage. There were also 

 some coloured pictures of Game birds drawn by Wolf, and a 

 capital lawn or garden aviaiy, consisting of a night-place and a 

 day-place, brought out by Groom, of Camden Town. 



Such was this Game bird Show — a good beginning, and the 

 start once made I hope it will be annual. I hardly think that 

 Bantams should be associated with the Game birds, as they are 

 poultry, and shown with fowls. Why should not Parrots and 

 Cockatoos be exhibited with the Game ? Many, no doubt, are 

 kept in and near London. 



I cannot close this article without a word of thanks to Mr. 

 Wilson, the Superintendent of the Natural History department 

 at the Crystal ]?alace, and the manager of the Show. AU that 

 kindness and courtesy could do he did, and did it well. May he 

 next year be helped by all keepers of Game birds, and then he 

 will have a Show to his heart's content. — ^Wiltshire Rector. 



^idbuTf. 



Game Bantams.— Broicji Bed^.—l and e, W. Adams, St. Clements, Ipswich. 

 2, G. Morlint,', Lynn. S, Ashley and M;iitlan(l. 



G.UIE BASTiMS—Z)ii<:fcir;n<7.—l,F. Fielder, Southaea. 2, W. .Vdams. S, Eev. 

 J. G. B. Knipht. Danhury. 



Gaue BASTAMf.— Pi/fs, or othen.—l and 3, C. Howard. 2, Ashley & Mait- 

 land, Red Hill, Worirslcr. 



Bantams— fJo/if Scbrioht.—l and 2, M. Leno. S, Kev. G. J. Conwjs, Mor- 

 chard Court, Tiverton. 



Bantams.— .S')7i:.r S(briaht.—1, 2. and 3, M. Leno. 



Eantams.— Bine/.-.- 1 and 3, M. Ridgway, Dewshury. 2, T. Davies, Kedland, 



Walker, Pellon Lane, Halifax. 



Bastams.— miite.— 1 and2, Kev. F. Tearle. 3, Hev. G. J. Con-irys. c, Kev. 

 J. B. Hole. 



Bantuis.— ri'»oic or Nanl:ecn.—1. O. E. Cresswell, Early Wood, Bagshot. 



Bantams.— /njM/iesc. — 1, H. S. Salsbnry, Kempsey. Worcester. Eqnal 1, 

 Mrs. Woodcock, Kearshy. 2, Lady E. Lesg, Patshnll. c, H. Draycott, 

 Huinherstone, Leicester. 



Bantams.- ir/ii(.' uathrr-lrnrir^l.—'l and 2. W. Catler, 'Worcester. 



Bantams-;." ' ' - '. or ami other variety— 1, R. S. S. 



Woodgate (Sii: I . ' .1 Hill (Black Fri2zled).__ Eqnal 2, W._W. 



ouKon (Ciuk. 

 E J. N. Hawli. 



tliiel;^. Boulton (Cnckoo). c, Miss 



si. 



u; J.:iiak Fowl.— he, 0. E, Cresswell (Hybrid 

 Bantam). 



_.-.,_- _(«.—!, C.Cnllinp.Downham (Hybrid hctwcer. 



_ Golden Cock and a common Heii Pheasant). Equal 1. A. D. Bartlttt (Hybrid 

 Wild Turkey, bred between Wild Turkey of Korth America and the Honduras 

 Turkey). 



Gkouse.— BIncS Cocfc— 1,2, 3, and he (2), J. Schroder, Christiana. Ptarmigan. 

 — 1. J. Schroder. 



Pheasants.— /ananese.— 3, P. Castang.Leadenhall Market. London. Chinese, 



—3, P. Castanff. Bcceefs.—l, E. Bartlett. Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park. 



Any other variety— 1, M. Leno, Markyate Street, Dunstable. 2, E. Bartlett 



(Vieillot's Pheasant). 3. Duke of Marlborough (new hybrid). 



Partridges.— E«al!3'!.—1, P. Castang. EngHth Quail— 1, 2, and 3, P. Castang. 



The Judges were Mr. Harrison Weir and Mr. Tegetmeier. 



SILVEE DBAGOONS' BAES. 



To add anything to Mr. AUsop's weU-written letter of last 

 week seems almost superfluous, but I must say if we are to have 

 Silvers let us have real Silvers, and not Ught Blues, which I 

 affirm the black-bai-red birds are. Then, again, in looking at the 

 black bars you very rarely meet with them without a shade oJ 

 brown more or less. As most fanciers will allow, " Caeeiee," 

 whoever he is, is a practical man, but looks upon the Dragoon 

 more as a homing than a high-class fancy bird ; therefore it is- 

 obvious why he should prefer the black-barred birds, since it is 

 weU kno-n-n that flying men Uke as hard a colour as they can, 

 get. 



Mr. Dunn said in a former letter that the beak of the Dragoon 

 should measure 2 inches, which is absurd, and, moreover, -n-ith- 

 out foimdation. Taken from the centre of the eye to the end of 

 the beak the length should be from IS of an inch to If of 

 an inch, but in a Dragoon of the true type shotild never exceed 

 that length. — W. J. W. Pass, Bury, Lancashire. 



Mk. Allsop says, " Not one word has appeared why the pre- 

 cedent be quoted should not be upheld." I suppose he alludes 

 to the judges at the places he mentions giving the prizes to 

 brown bars. This is no argument, for no black-baiTed Silvers 

 were exhibited, and therefore they were obUgedto give prizes to- 

 the best of then- abUity ; and supposing judges make an error 

 one year, is that any reason they should always do so ? Mr. 

 Allsop asks what prize I have won with brown bars ? Three 

 are all I can count. He also says I never exhibited black bars 

 until I purchased the second-prize Crystal Palace birds last 

 Show, and I myself exhibited brown bars there. This is con- 

 trary to the truth, for the only pair of Silvers at the Crystal 

 Palace which I exhibited were black bars, and were highly com- 

 mended. I also exhibited before that black bars at shows too 

 numerous to mention, including BeUe Vue, Manchester, 1870;. 

 Wan-ington, 1871, &c. 



Mr. AUsop goes on to say that he has tried this cross and that 

 cross, and in fact has tried evei-y possible way, but always with 

 the same result — ^viz., brown bars, and then in a succeeding 

 paragi-aph says he can do it quite easily. What does he mean ? 

 I do wish his statements were more correct, and not so confused. 

 Mr. Allsop, in his controversy with Mr. Percivall in yom- Joiu-nal 

 a few years ago, advocated white nmips for a Dra goon, and I can. 

 asstu-e him he is as much in error now as he was then ; white- 

 rumped birds never win now, and no person would give more 

 than shooting price for them. 



Mr. Brent, in his book on Pigeons, says, " Silver Owls, Bald- 

 heads, itc, should have black bars." H correct in other breeds 

 why not so in Dragoons ? I have also received from most of 

 the leading Dragoon fanciers letters concumng with my views. 

 Dragoon classes in shows are only of comparatively recent date, 

 and°ve must, therefore, look to the old flying fanciers, who dis- 

 tinctly state that SUver Dragoons should have black bars. Mr. 

 Moore, well known as a fancier of Dragoons during the last 

 twenty-three years, and who has flown them very great dis- 

 tances, says, " Dunlaars were always discarded, and considered 

 wastrels and only fit for the pie." Mr. Gibson, from whom I 

 purchased the second Crystal Palace pair, has bred Dragoons 

 for thirty years, and says blackbars were always the proper colour. 

 No doubt Mr. Gibson wUl state in public his experience. 



My experience of breeding black-barred SUvers this year 

 clearly proves that if properly bred they will always breed ii-ue ; 

 but if Mr. .AUsop wishes to breed them he must weed out from 

 his stud the white-rumped and the blue-rumped birds with 

 brown bars, which he says he possesses, for unless the blue is 

 sound and the bars a good black he will never succeed. I 

 matched three black-barred cocks to three black- barred hens, 

 bred in the same way as I have stated in my former letter, and 



