August 21, 1S73. ] 



JOURXAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



145 



on the contrary, the Sabbils were good. A large cage of young 

 Lops contained some most promising animals. 

 The Judge was Mr. E. Hutton, Fudsey. 



PADDOCK POULTKT SHOW. 



This was held on the ICth inst. The following are the 

 awards : — 



Br,vh5Ias.— 1, H. Beldon, Goitstocli. 2. .T. Bailey, Earby. 

 HxiWuRGHS. — Giyldenspanfflt'd. — 1, H. Beltlon. 2, G. Haleb, Holmfirth. 

 S(.'r'Tsj)(i;n7/f(i — 1, H. Beldon. 2. J. RobinaoD. Garstanii. Golden-pvitciUtd.— 



1. n. Beldon. 2, J. Robinsau. Sih^-r-ptftciUed.—l, H.Beidon. 2, J. Robinson. 

 BInek.—l, N. Marlor. Denton. 2. H. Beldon. 



Game.— I, H. Beldon. 2. J. C. Brooke. Holmflrtb. 

 Bantams.—! and 2. G. Kobles, Staincliffc. 3. T. Cropper, Baeup. 

 Spanish.— 1, J. Powell, Bradford. 2. H. Beldon. 

 PoLASDS.— 1, J. Robinson. 2, S. H. Wood, Digrgle, 

 CocniN-CnrxA.- 1. 11. BelJou. 2, T. F. Anstcd. St. Helens. 

 PoRKiVGS.— 1. J. Robinson. 2. .T. "Walkfr, Kochdale. 

 HoDDAXS.- 1 and 2. J. W. Hibbort. Hyde. 

 Geese.— 1. J. Walker. 2, J. Crosland. Royds Mount. 



TirCKS.—Wftit^ Ault'^hury.—l, J.Walker." 2, R. Hutchinaon, Littleboroagfa, 

 liouen.—J, 3. NewtoD. Silsden. 2. J. Walker. 

 Tcekkys.— 1, J. Walker, Rocbdale. 



PIGEONS. 

 Carriers.— I and 2. G. .7. Taylor, Fartow-n. 

 Croppkrs or PorTERS.— I and 2, G. J. Taylor. 

 TttCMPF-TBES.— I and 2, W. Haryey, Sheffield. 

 Tumblers.— Jlmond^.—l, G.J. Taylor. 2, W. Haryey. Any varicty.—l and 



2. G. J. Taylor. . . i . 



Kastails.- 1, W. Tomlinson, Newark. 2, J. F. LoTersedge, Newark. 



Barbs.- 1 and 2. G. J. Tavlor. 



TURBITS.— 1 and 2. G. J. Taylor. 



Jacobins.— 1. G. J. Taylor. 2, W. Haryey. 



Ant other ViRiETr or Common-.- 1 and 2, G. J. Taylor, e, 3, Thresh, 

 Bradford. 



R.\BBITS. 



HiMALATAN-.— Bud-.— 1 and 2, S. BaU, Bradford. Doe.—\, S. Ball. 2, J. Hallas, 

 HaddersSeld. 



Anh IRA.- Bu«S.— 1. S. Ball. 2, T. Games, Northampton. Doc— 1, H. Cox, 

 Wooley. 2, J. C. Hntton, Bradford. 



Lop-eared.— BucA-.—l and prize for thf lon/ifst-enred Bdbbit on thi- fichi, F. 

 Banks. London. 2, J. Hnme, York. Z>oe.— 1, F. Banks. 2, A. H. Easteo, Hull. 



SiLVEB-Gr.Ey.— BucV-— 1. \. H. Fasten. 2. S. Ball. 



CoMMoN.-Bu<r):.— 1. J. HaUas, Huddersfleld. 2, F. Berry, Mirfield. Doe.—l, 

 A. Uaigh, Loneroyd Bridge. 2, J. Hallas. 



Asy oiBEB ViBiEir.- 1, G. K. & R. Hackett, London. 2, F. Banks. 



CATS. 

 Pnsuv.— 1, W. Appleton. 5, J. Dyson, Paddock. 

 Manx —1, B. Hclliwell, Delph. 2, D. Home. Lockwood. 

 ToRT_>i*E3aELL OR ToaToisESHELL-ASD-WiiiTE.- 1, R. Spiyey, Huddersfield. 

 S, J. Binns. Lindtey. 

 Black-— 1. A. Thornton, Moaley. 2. B. Shawcross, Oldham. 

 Grev Tabby.— 1, J, Henrich, Huddersfield. 2, J. Hampshire, Liyersedge. 



JtTDGES. — Poulirij : Mr. J. Jordan, Dalton, and Mr. E. Lane, 

 of Birmingham. Jiabbils and Cats: Mr. Fisher, of Crosshills, 

 near Skipton, and Mr. G, Johnson, Kettering. 



MALMESBURY POULTRY AXD PIGEON SHOW. 



CoxsEDERiSG the inconvenience there is in an-iving at this 

 small town, there being no raUway within five miles, the Com- 

 mittee mast be heartily congratulated on the success of the 

 Show held on the 14th inst. Birds came even from Worcester, 

 Oiford, and Basingstoke. 



The chief features in the poultry classes were Game fowls. 

 Black Reds were very good, this year's birds taking first honours. 

 Light Brahmas and Cochitvi were exceedingly good, and fairly 

 surprised the rustics of the neighbourhood. Bantams were 

 Tcry good. Black Reds taking first, a handsome pen of this year's 

 Duckwings bein" second. Rouen Ducks and the Black East 

 Indian were all that could be desired. 



In Pigeons, Pouters were the chief feature, two pairs of grand 

 White birds taking the first and second prizes. Trumpeters and 

 Jacobins were good, though only two pens of the latter were 

 shown. Antwerps were very strong and good. The class for 

 Any other variety brought forth some really good birds, a pair 

 of really handsome Pygmy Pouters being first, and TeUow Barbs 

 second. 



DoRKiMos.- 1. E. Hooper, Calne. 2, C. Cole, Malmesbury. 



SPANisH.-l, W. Hoditaon. Bristol. 2, W. Hanks. Somerford Maena. 



QiXt—Blaek-brecuUd Reds.— I and 2, E. S. Godsell, Stroud, he, E. Bowly, 

 ^rencester ; G. Banks, M.ilmesbnry. Any other colour.— \, E. Winwood, 

 Worcester. 2, E. F. Woodman, Cirencester, ftc, J. Andrews, Worcester : E. 

 Bowly. * 



C<K;nis».— 1. s. Buckland, CrudwelL 2, J. S, Magge, Tetbory, c, Bey. N. J. 

 Killey. Newbnn-. 



BnAim IS.- D<ir*.— 1, J. Prindcr, Cirencester. 2, E. S, Godsell, he, T, Jones, 

 JIa meil.ury. Liijhl.—l. Mrs. St.?rae, Devizes. 2, W. Hanks, he, G. Ellison, 

 bHinrl.n ; W. Lanham, Wontton B.T^Tiett: Rey. N. J. Ridley. 



H.HBi Rons -1, H. Thompson, Highworth. 2, J, S, Maggs. he, R. Barrett, 

 Stroud, c, C.Day, Somerford. 



Ant other Variety. — ! J. Hinton. Warminster. 2, J. Archer, Wotton 

 Bassett. he. Mrs. Sterne ; Rey. N. J. Ridley ; J. S. Maggs. 



Game Bantams.— I, E. Bowly. 2, G. Holloway, lun., Stroud, he, E, Bowly : 

 C, Scamnell, Trowbridge ; S. Tilling. Malmesbury. 



Bantams.- 2, W. Oaraham. Lasborougli. 



Tt-RKEvs.-l, Rct. n. J. Ridley. 2, S. Gibbs, Sainorford Magna. 



Geese-!. C.Cole. 2, O. Hanks, 



DccKs.-Bou^n.-!, O. HoUoway, Stroud. 2, T, Jones. AuUtburil.—l and 2, 

 J. S. Maags. he. G. Hanks. 



Any oiiiee Variety.— 1 and 2, G. S. Salnsbury, Deyizea, he, C. Cole, 

 PIGEONS, 



Carriers,-! and 2, T, Jones, Malmesbury. he, W. Tomlins, Oxford. 



PocTERS.- !, P.. Barrett. 2, G. Holloway. he. Hon. C. Howard. 



TrMBt,p.R9.-l,B. Barrett. 2, T, Jones. »c, W, Hodgson, Bristil. 



TaUMPETEES.— !, A, P. Maurice, Basingstoke. 2, S. Buckland, Crudwell. 



Antwerps.- 1 and 2. W, Tomlins, he, R, Barrett, jun., Stroud ; J, S, 



Jacobins.— l.G. Holloway. 



Fantails.— !. Dr. Hinnier, Malmesbury. 2. W. Hodson. he, R. Barrett. 



Ant oTnnn Variety. — !. G. Holloway (Pygmy Poutevst. 2, W. Tomlins 

 (Barbs), /ic, W. Tomlins (Barbs); R. Barrett (Dragoons): W. Hodgson (Nuns) : 

 J. S.Maggs (Barbs) ; J. P. Salway (.Turbits). 



Rabbits.- Lop-car, — 1 and 2, C. Arthur. Melksbam. Himalayan.~l and 2, C, 

 Arthur. Silver-Grey.—l, C, Arthur, Any other variety. — !, C, Arthur, 2, A, 

 Bailey, Malmesbury. 



Mr. Martin, of Worcester, was the Judge. 



POLYGAMY IN PIGEONS. 



Pigeons, say the various treatises, are strictly mouogamousj 

 and the rule thus positively stated I have hitherto regarded as 

 being one which did not admit of an exception. 'There is, of 

 course, the well-known proverb that there is no rule without an 

 exception, but as regards the monogamous nature of Pigeons I 

 have never until this year met with an illustration of the truth 

 of the proverb, 



I do not attempt to speak of the experience of other Pigeon 

 fanciers in the matter ; but my own experience has been that 

 although, if they have not been i)roperly mated, two birds will 

 sometimes " break pah'," as it is said, and each bird lake to 

 itself a new partner of the opposite sex, the male bird of a pair 

 properly mated will not associate himself with a second female 

 partner and at the same time continue to consort with the hen 

 with which he was first mated. Such, I say, has hitherto been 

 my experience ; but I have this season met with what I believe 

 to be a remarkable exception to the rule in question, and as a 

 statement of the facts may interest some of the readers of " our 

 Journal," I will endeavour to give a short account of the case. 



I may begin, then, by saying that I became possessed a short 

 time since of two pairs of Tumbler Pigeons, one a pair of Black 

 Shortfaced, and the other a pair of Blue Long-faced Tumblers. 

 These two pairs of birds were placed together in the same house, 

 but apart from all other Pigeons, They had not been more than 

 a very few days together when I observed that the Black hen 

 took but little notice of the invitations made to her by her own 

 partner to enter a nest, whilst She seemed much attracted by 

 the attention shown to her by the Blue cock. This state of 

 affairs was immediately followed by the Blue cock altogether 

 beatiug-off the Black one from the companionship of his hen, 

 and by his driving both hens to nest most persistently. In a 

 very few days two nests were made in two separate comers of 

 the hoi!se, and a pair of eggs was laid in each nest. Both hena 

 commenced sitting, and during the period of incubation I believe 

 that the Blue cock regularly took his turn on each nest, for I 

 repeatedly saw him sitting first on one nest, and then on the 

 other, I should mention that from the time when the two hens 

 were first taken charge of by this bird, I have never seen the 

 other bird either approach his own hen or attempt to enter her 

 nest, nor have I ever seen him attempt to pair with the Blue 

 hen, so there cannot have been a change of partners. 



Now for the hatching. The eggs laid by the Blue hen were, 

 during my temporary absence from home, injured by some 

 means ; but I ascertained by an examination of them that each 

 contained a bird. From the eggs laid by the Black hen two 

 birds were hatched, which lived until they were about three 

 weeks old. Both birds were Blue, so that their parentage on 

 the male side may be regarded as fully established. The co- 

 habitation of the one cock bird with the two hens did not, how- 

 ever, end here, but has continued down to the present time. 

 Somewhat more than three weeks ago the two hens again went 

 to nest, each, again, sitting on a pair of eggs. On this occasion 

 as on the former, the Blue cock has, I believe, regularly taken 

 his turn of sitting on both nests. All the eggs, too, have again 

 proved fertile, two young birds having been hatched from each 

 pair of eggs. One pair of these young birds I have been under 

 the necessity of shifting to the care of nurses, a circimistance 

 which I regret, as I should have been glad to have observed 

 how the one cock bird would have managed with the two pairs 

 of young ones claiming his attention at the same time. The 

 foregoing is, as I have already indicated, the only case of the 

 kind that has come ixnder my obsei-vation in any way; but 

 perhaps other readers of the Journal will state what their ex- 

 perience has been.— E. W. 



HONEY HARVEST IN DUMFRIESSHIRE. 



The honey harvest in the clover districts of Dumfriesshire! 

 which have no heath in their \-icinity, has now been gathered) 

 and the result in a greatmcasure corresponds with that recorded 

 by your esteemed correspondent, "B. &W." The bee season 

 of 1873 is the worst that has been experienced since 1855, which 

 was only a shade better than 18.5.3 and 1854. There is no surplus 

 honey. AH efforts to get supers stored with sweets failed. In 

 every case they were appropriated by the queen to breeding 

 purposes. When the spoiled combs were cut out and new ones 

 built they were again filled with brood. But I am not disposed 

 to think that either " sourness of soil " or " winter rains " have 



