NoTember 6, 1873. 1 



JOUBNAli OF HORTICDLTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



3C3 



their former owners, Messrs. Barwell it Sons. I beg, on behalf 

 of the Society, to tender you their best thanks for the satisfactory 

 manner in which you discharged your duties as Judge at our 

 late Show, and for the liberality you have shown to us on this 

 occasion. — C. Hillier, Sec." 



[The above is a copy of a letter sent to Mr. Hutton.] 



BEARDS, BALDHEADS, AND MOTTLED 

 TUMBLERS. 



It was with no small interest I read the letter from "Turkey 

 Ql'iLL," and I am very glad he has brought forward such an im- 

 portant and interesting subject. I think it very discreditable 

 for a show with any pretensions not to have classes for all that 

 are really distinct breeds, and not for those only where the 

 committee are pretty sure of good entries. If these shows are 

 .really for the improvement of the different breeds, and not 

 for profit, then I say let every distinct variety have a separate 

 class, and not classes for mongrel-bred birds because the classes 

 are sure to pay well. 



" Deeds Suow" says, " Notwithstanding it is a merry meet- 

 ing and unbegradged expense on their side," &c. (the committee, 

 I presume, he alludes to), my opinion is that the merry meetings 

 are all very well while the show pays, otherwise there are more 

 long faces than smiling ones. In the latter case if a class has 

 not had sufficient entries to pay the prize-mouey it has been 

 struck out from the next year's prize-list, and would only 

 appear again if the committee could get some enthusiastic ex- 

 hibitor to give a cup or the prize-money to have it in once 

 more. I am sorry to say this was the case with the so-called 

 " Great National Show," for in the year 1870 the classes referred 

 to did not pay, consequently they were struck out instead of 

 having another opportunity. The consequence is that as these 

 varieties have not been considered worthy a place in the prize- 

 list they have gradually disappeared from the show-pen, as no 

 exhibitor will show them against the odd or off-feathered birds 

 they have to compete with. 



I would suggest that if " Turkey Quell" would offer, through 

 these columns, a sum towards a prize or prizes at one of our 

 leading shows for each of these varieties, he would be responded 

 to by many who would gladly contribute and become exhibitors 

 where they now have no chance. — A Would-be Exhtritob. 



A VISIT TO 



' SOMERSETSHIRE SQUIRE ' 

 HIS TUMBLERS. 



AND 



As long back as August 29th, 1872, there appeared in the 

 columns of this Journal a letter on Tumbler Pigeons signed 

 " Somersetshire Squire," in which the writer spoke of having 

 a capital flight of birds, thorough good performers, in colour 

 chiefly Red and Black Mottles. At the same time came a kind 

 private invitation for me to go and inspect these birds. Cir- 

 cumstances, needless here to mention, prevented my accepting 

 " Somersetshire Squire's " hospitality until Michaelmas-day 

 this year. I had always treasured-up in my mind that some 

 leisure day I should see a new fancier among his pets, see some- 

 thing and some one pleasant at the time, and leaving pleasant 

 memories. It so chanced that " Somersetshire Squire's " 

 town is but a short run by rail from mine, and yet, strange to 

 cay, I had never been there. 



Given, then, as fine a day in autumn as ever fell to my lot to 

 enjoy, a breezy health-giving day, when the spirits perforce 

 must rise in harmony with Nature's cheeriness — given a short 

 journey by rail, and then came the station, and then who was 

 I to see ? A man old or young ? a man surrounded by grand- 

 children, or with a troop of daughters ? a little man with, as 

 nsnal, a very large wife, or a large man with, as also usually is 

 the case, with a wee wife ? Now, between ourselves, good 

 leaders, I had made up my mind that I was to meet a middle- 

 aged man like myself, so I walked up and down the platform, 

 looking hard at every male who was just half way on in the 

 journey of life. I looked at the fat, and I looked at the lean ; 

 I looked at the tall, and I looked at the short ; but none of them 

 looked a reply. VVhen, lo ! I was challenged by name by one 

 ■whom I had passed and repassed, and in a minute my hand was 

 in that of ** Somersetshire Squire." Now, I am not goine to 

 let out any secrets of person or of place, but I will just say this, 

 that " SoMERSETsnntE Squire " is a young man, not yet left his 

 aniversity. I gladly record this, for it is an admirable thing for 

 a young man to start with and stick to a nice healthy hobby in 

 life ; it gives innocent amusement, it gives interest to a life in 

 the country especially ; but too frequently I only find elderly 

 men as Pigeon-fanciers. So I always hail with delight a young 

 recruit as either a Pigeon or poultry-fancier. 



Soon we are down from the station, wo have a link in the 

 knowledge of a mutual friend, and now we are passing quickly 

 through the streets of one of the many charming west-country 

 tswns, with three capital fox terriers, those sprightly, plucky 



little dogs, scampering before us. The pony dog-cart, that 

 very handy and fashionable vehicle, is soon through the town 

 and on the countrj' road. I have spoken of the west-country 

 towns in high terms, and surely they deserve it. At their head 

 stands Bath, " The Queen of the West," which with its sur- 

 rounding country excels in beauty every other place in England; 

 then, according to their degree, come Swiss-like Bradford-on- 

 Avou, aristocratic-looking Devizes, Canon Kingsley's " pretty 

 Chippenham," open airy Warminster, snug little Wells, down 

 further to bright clean Taunton, i'c. Surely this sunny Michael- 

 mas-day made all the beauties of the west more beautiful. 



Chatting about Pigeons and fox terriers, four miles are quickly 

 passed, then a lodge, an approach, an old manorial dovecote, a 

 Sower garden bright with bedding plants, never brighter than 

 on this day— it is a garden like a long bowling-green studded 

 with gay colours — and a glimpse of a still longer garden beyond 

 the house, and we pull up at the home of " Somersetshire 

 Squire," a renovated manor house, venerable, yet very comfort- 

 able-looking, having an English near view of park and tree, and 

 dense woods far away. Lunch there is soon to be, but mean- 

 while a look at the Pigeons. Many of them have been caught 

 over-night, and placed in baskets for my inspection. To quote 

 " Somersetshire Squire's " own words, " they consist of 

 feather-legged and clean-legged birds, with the exception of one 

 or two, none of them heavily feathered on the legs. As to 

 colours, they are chiefly Black Mottles, Black Splash, Red 

 Mottles, and Bed Splash, Duns with white flights, Blue with 

 white flights, and a few white, or nearly so." Such of the 

 colours. Some had pearl eyes, others bull eyes, and they are 

 forty-four in number. The birds had been bought as flying 

 Tumblers, for their flying and tumbling— many at Bristol, and 

 those not found equal to their work were discarded. Thus they 

 were a picked lot, picked for work, not for colour. I never 

 looked at or handled a lot of birds more likely to distinguish 

 themselves in mid air. 



So I looked at and examined them. After luncheon is to be 

 the performance — luncheon, that pleasant meal, particularly 

 in a pretty place in the country with an agreeable family. I 

 question if dinner parties ever give half as much pleasure. 

 Often there is a heat and closeness, and always, of course, eon- 

 tractedness of view; but with a midday meal there is light 

 within and without, flowers near you, and often a flower garden 

 in sight, and, best of all, no uneasy night's rest, so often follow- 

 ing the late heavy repast. Ladies have a belief that they look 

 best of an evening; I half doubt it now that morning costumes 

 are so charming. 



I ascend the house, and from its roof I am to see the Pigeons 

 take their exercise. But Pigeons will not do always what they 

 should— they are seemingly perverse, though of the race of 

 Doves. N.B.— Other bright-coloured though wingless doves are 

 also said to be at times perverse. I have had friends to see my 

 Tumblers, and have been obliged to keep saj'ing, " If you_ had 

 but come yesterday they flew so much better." But it is so 

 through all animal creation. The dog that " begs " so well to 

 his mistress will not "beg" at all before strangers. The bull- 

 finch will not pipe when ordered for display. The child brought 

 in for exhibition grandly dressed ami ribboned has to be carried 

 out, the naughty boy, kicking and screaming. And Tumblers 

 are no exception to the rule. So on this fine day they would 

 not gather and go up all together, but scattered and wanted to 

 pitch, hence the fine sight of " the flight " in close pack and 

 wheeling regularly at a vast height was denied me ; but still, I 

 never saw individuals tumble better. No birds could be better 

 performers, neater clearer tumblers. Thus, seeing what as indi- 

 viduals they did do, I could well imagine what as a flight they 

 could do. 



Having watched the birds and enjoyed their performance, I 

 am taken to see the remains of a Roman villa near. This was a 

 rare treat. The pavement having been discovered some years 

 ago, my friend's excellent father had carefully erected over it a 

 low building of which he keeps the key ; hence it is preserved 

 from the rain and snow, and also from those who would pocket 

 specimens. The pavement is in many places perfect in shape 

 aud also in colour ; and the legend of a part, Orpheus charming 

 the beasts, is easily recognised. I was shown, too, the remains 

 of the Roman baths, also in good and traceable condition. Then 

 on we wend through a winding woodland path to a keeper's 

 house ; then on and on where the pheasants in numbers ran or 

 flew near us, through woods looking on woods all autumn-tinted : 

 then back by a well-plantod glade with a brook sparkhng in 

 sight here and there, and crossed by a picturesque bridge ; back 

 to inspect a kennel of harriers— right true hounds they are ; then 

 almost an equal number of fox terriers of every age from a day 

 upwards. But I had not yet seen all. I go and look at Rouen 

 Ducks of great length. One Duck really seemed as if she ought 

 to have an additional pair of legs. Then pigs of vast fattened 

 proportions. Then I stroll into garden and vinery, and try all I 

 can to photograph all I have seen on my mind— not a diflicult 

 process, for we easily remember what is very agreeable. 



In conclusion, let me remark that a country life to be enjoyed 



