Oetobsr 30, 18T3. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



343 



" Alliance," was clearly second ia his club, thongh it was nearly 

 six of one and half a dozen of the other with Mr. Merry and Mr. 

 Hovell in the ** Bath House," who were respectively second 

 and third. Layinj:j down as a basis of operations that "live good 

 birds and an inditfereut one did not constitute a level six, gave 

 Mr. Merry the turn of the scale. It will easUy be imagined 

 that behind these stood many cages of superlative excellence, 

 and I may say that I was never before so struck with the wonder- 

 ful quality of feather the Norwich breeders possess. 



These disposed of, the ten open classes of Norwich birds next 

 claimed our attention. The "Alliance" with a just appre- 

 ciation of what every Englishman loves — fair play, had not sup- 

 plemented its prize list with an announcement that " no un- 

 natural colours would be staged," neither had it issued any 

 proclamation to " honest fanciers," nor had it met in committee 

 and paraded its virtues in pharisaical fashion. Norwich knew 

 well that its breeders had for more than a century never feared 

 to meet any comers, and when beaten could often congratulate 

 themselves that it was with their own blood, birds whose pedigree 

 was written in some cottage beside the loom of a weaver or other 

 artisan, from whose " mews " had been sold high-bred stock to 

 other localities. It was not likely, then, that these men were 

 going to show the white feather in the contest, or allow any 

 cutaide pressure to influence them. For the fame of the 

 "Bemrose it Orme," birds had reached the old city, and many 

 a man who had been a Canary fancier from his boyhood would 

 wonder whether such things could really be ; and still wonder- 

 ing and half doubting, brought his best forces into play, and 

 went into the battle like a man determined to beat or be beaten. 

 And this was not done without some sacritice. The "Alliance" 

 knew that in the absence of extraordinary support its members 

 were committing themselves to certain pecuniary loss. All 

 honour, then, to the men who, having made it their motto, 

 " .4 clear stage and no favour," do not falsify themselves, but 

 set an example to some in a higher station in life, who when the 

 time for the exercise of principle comes, lose their heads, and in 

 BO doing make a rod for their own backs. This was the password 

 of the "Alliance," and they met theu' fate like men. 



In Clear Yellow, Bemrose it Orme were first and second 

 with two wonders. Their third bird was not in condition, or 

 colour must have carried it through. As it was, Imhoff & Smith 

 (Coventry) took third place with a wonderful Jonque. Size, 

 colour, and quality were all there, but it is too long in the 

 feather. Still, it is a bird one could look at for a day — a triton 

 among minnows. Among the commended division, Mr. F. 

 AVillis, Messrs. Mackley, and Mr. Hovell, all of Norwich, 

 showed a class of birds which, under the new I'igime, would 

 — it's difficult to say what they would look like. 



In Clear Buffs, Bemrose & Orme took all the prizes, their 

 birds being unapproachable for colour and meal. In my eye 

 their Mealy birds eclipse their Jonques, the high colour show- 

 ing the farina to such advantage. Imhoff & Smith, in this 

 class also, showed two remarkable birds, as also did Mr. F. 

 Willis and the Mackley Brothers. They were faultless, but 

 beside the wonderful Derby specimens their colour paled. 



The Variegated classes were superb. Bemrose & Orme were 

 first and second in the Evenly-marked Jonques both in marks 

 and colour. Mr. Woncs's (Norwich) third-prize bird was a great 

 beauty and merits special notice. In respect of wing-marks it 

 waa superior to Bemrose & Orme's second, but the pencilling 

 on the eyes was not so decided. Here again colour told in the 

 close struggle. Mr. Wones's bird has that beautiful silky 

 quality of feather which rivets the eye at once : it was in the 

 bloom of perfect condition too, and *.he moment it was at rest 

 threw out its snowy under-fiue like floss silk. The very highly 

 commended were all superior birds. 



Bemrose & Orme were first, second, and third in Evenly- 

 marked Buffs, closely pressed by Mr. J. Goode, of Leicester, 

 and Mr. E. Shaw, Nottingham. To each of these was awarded 

 a very high commendation. In the same class Mr. W^ones 

 showed a well-marked hen, nearly perfect, but the left eye is a 

 trifle heavier than the right — colour rather fiat. 



The Ticked classes were, as they usually are, simply grand. 

 It waa a great day for the lovers of high-class birds when wo 

 in Sunderland, some years ago, made provision for this class of 

 bird, the parents of perfection. They are the backbone, main- 

 stay, bones, muscles, and sinews of the Nor^vich variety. Never 

 waa Buch a bird seen as Bemrose d; Orme's first-prize Ticked 

 Jonqae. One wit said he could feel the " heat " when he passed 

 the cage. The second and third, too, were miracles. By some 

 ovenight the printer omitted to print the commendations in 

 this class, but there were some valuable stock-birds among those 

 mentioned in the prize-list last week. My memorandum book 

 has ImhofI & Smith and E. Shaw specially noted. 



Bemrose it Orme's carriage stopped the way again in the 

 Ticked Bufis, and Mr. F. Willis and others had to rest contented 

 ■with cards of merit on their cages, which, however, did indeed 

 contain meritorious specimens. 



The Marked Crested Yellow.^ were not good. They were 

 produced in greater perfection in Norwich years ago, or my taste 



is more fastidious. A good crested Jonque is very difficult to 

 breed, I admit, but the greater part of those shown in both the 

 classes apportioned to the Yellows were very much below par. 

 It was very different with, the Crested Bufit. Here there waa 

 plenty of feather, and, in not a few cases, width of skull and 

 corresponding excellence of crest. With the Norwich breedera 

 quaUtif is a sitw qua non ; quality is another uame for high 

 Norwich properties, and that is equivalent to loss of crest 

 points. I have before explained that the crest is not native 

 to the Norwich variety, but is au imported element, obtained 

 either from the majestic Manchester Coppy or the smaller, 

 neatly-finished crested German bird. From the Coppy are ob- 

 tained size, coarseness, length of feather, and other points not 

 desirable in a Norwich bird ; but there is no mistake about the 

 description of crest resulting from the cross. It has size and 

 shape, and the object to be aimed at is to breed-in the desired 

 size and shape of crest, and to breed-out all the objectionable 

 points. I think in Norwich they have gone too far — the birda 

 show splendid quality but not enough crest, and a Coppy or 

 two imported into the city will do no harm. In Marked Crested 

 Buffs ilr. F. Alden was first with a grand bird. I have seen 

 crests which could have extinguished even this bird's head, but 

 so much high quality and crest is not often seen. It was truly 

 a crested jVo)ic!r/(. The same exhibitor also showed two others; 

 one, evidently his pet bird, was a fine stock bird, but its place 

 was in the harem rather than in the show-cage. Mr. Goode 

 was second and third with two over-year birds. For style and 

 carriage the second was unsurpassed. A very fine one-winged 

 bird, Mr. W. Drake (Norwich), vhc, was snapped- up at its cata- 

 logue price. The purchaser has a valuable stock bird in it. 

 The gem of the Clear-bodied birds with dark crests was Mr. 

 W. Sparkes's (Norwich) hen. On the other side of the Hall, in 

 the groups, was a cage of six young crests from her ; all good. 

 Mr. AVones was second with a fine hen ; more quality and lesa 

 crest. The tliird bird also was good, but it was a clear case 

 of one, two, three with a lot of really good stuff in the rear, 

 as well there might be in twenty-two entries. In Crests there 

 were in all seventy-five entiies. 



In Clear and Ticked Belgians there were but six entries ; Mr. 

 Harrison, of Belper, showing in a form which would have re- 

 quired some beating had there been six times as many. 



Lizards were wretched. Uufortuuately, Mr. llitchie's (Dar- 

 lington) arrived too late for competition. He sent six, which 

 were the admiration of aU beholders. It was grieving to see 

 them out of the fray. 



The Yorkshire mustered in force, and birds which have 

 already passed under review this season added another notch to 

 their score. These birds attracted a great deal of attention, and 

 many were the expressions of satisfaction at the way in which 

 the two counties have shaken hands. I am sorry to say, how- 

 ever, that one exhibitor, Mr. M. Holroyd, of Bradford, gave a 

 practical illustration of the way in which Evenly-marked birds 

 can be manufactured. 



It was getting near dusk when we judged the Cinnamons. All 

 had to be carried to the light, and we were eventually compelled 

 to finish for the day while in the middle of the class, and I am 

 afraid we made a great oversight. I am informed we passed 

 over a bond fide painted specimen. Bemrose & Orme's birda 

 were again the gems of the variety — both plain and Variegated. 

 Mr. Luke Belk, Dewsbury, scored twice in the Variegated Buff 

 with long stylish birds. 



The " Any other variety " class did not fill well, but Messrs. 

 Mackley scored an easy win with a fine Coppy, and Mr. Row- 

 land (Skelton, Torks), made a mark with one of the north- 

 country long Greens. 



Every Mule of merit shown has already been under notice, 

 except a very fine Linnet Mule shown by Messrs. Mackley, 

 which looks very like moulting into a perfectly clear bird. Mr. 

 J. M. Cooper (Norwich) was represented by a remarkably fine 

 Buff Goldfinch Mule, which must have "walked in," but one 

 tail feather was unfortunately missing. It is a beautiful Mule. 



Bemrose itOrme made their final bow iu the open sixes, 

 with Messrs. Mackley second, and Mr. F. Willis third. Mackley 

 Brothers had slightly the puU in colour, and Mr. Willis in size 

 and condition. 



It would be tedious to notice the British and Foreign birda 

 seriatim, hxii nowhere except at the Crystal Palace was such 

 a show ever seen, and a most gorgeous sight it was, consisting 

 of over a hundred entries. Nearly last on the list stood the Grey 

 Parrots. I suppose we must have given satisfaction in our 

 awards, for one of them as I was putting a first-prize card 

 through the ring of its cage, told me confidentially it was " all 

 right ! " A Selling Class of seventy-eight entries, from which 

 anyone might have selected his breeding stock, completed the 

 Show. 



The Exhibition was opened on the Thursday morning with a 

 promenade concert by the Carrow brass band, whose services 

 were most generously tendered by Mr. Colman, the well-known 

 manufacturer of the condiment for which, and old maids, my 

 own county town ia so famous. The grand old Hall was boou 



