i6i 

 CORRESPONDENCE. 



POINT PRIZES. 



Sir,— I am glad that this proposal has beeu brought 

 forward by Mr, Frostick. The "best l)ird" is a doubtful 

 quantity — aud in a mixed Show a foreigner rarely wins 

 the prize, for most of the Judges incline to the Canaries 

 (why, I cannot fathom, but possibly for fear of offending 

 Canary fanciers). 



I have no objection to the "Best Bird" Special 

 being won by the exhibitor who sends only a few entries, 

 provided he has only a few birds fit for exhiV)ition. But 

 when a man has a good team, which could be put on the 

 show table to advantage and with a fair prospect of 

 success, I think it a shame that he should send onl}^ one 

 or two in a class, to try and catch the special. This is 

 done often, and year after year we see it at the Palace 

 Show, . Some onl}' show when the}' know the result is 

 almost a foregone conclusion. 



I maintain that if anyone makes 20 or 30 entries (his 

 own bona fide property) he ought to have some advantage 

 for each entry — for quantity is wanted to make up the 

 vShow. But it has of late been the policy of some Com- 

 mittees to encourage the small exhibitor at the expense 

 of the large one. 



Last season I had 20 to 30 entries at half a dozen 

 Shows. My friend Mr. II. B, vSiuitli also showed a good 

 team. If we only made two or three entries in each 

 class it would pay us better, and in many cases such a 

 course would secure us a balance on the right side of the 

 ledger, 



I strongl}' support Mr. Frostick's proposal that the 

 F. B, C, specials should be for points — as it is the fairest 

 plan, causes the least trouble, and is the most satisfactory 

 in the long run, W. Osbaldeston. 



ORNITHOLOGICAL SURGERY, 

 Sir, — It may interest you to know that our farm 

 bailiff, who is a remarkably intelligent and observant 

 man, told me that it is quite true about Partridges and 



