December 4, 1873. ] 



JOUBNAXi OF HORTICDLTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



451 



perfection we can ourselves remember to have seen. Second 

 was pale in hackle, but good in every other respect. Third good 

 style and colour, but small. Fourth also small but nice all over. 

 Fifth rather wanted feathering. There were many other really 

 good birds in this class. The bens (twenty pens), were grand 

 but very difficult to judge, every prize pen without exception 

 containing one bird much superior to " aU the others," if that be 

 possible. There was hardly a reaUy bad pair in the class. PuUets 

 also were remarkably good, though few birds were, perhaps, so 



food as the best of the hens. The fifth-prize had certainly the 

 est bird in the class, but by no means well matched. We lieard 

 much quarrelling over the judging, and have already noticed 

 what we think was a real omission in the cockerels ; but after 

 going over it three times, we think the puUets were well and 

 fairly judged, our remark as to the odd birds being borne in 

 mind. The first-prize contained one bird really grand, though 

 hardly equal to the best in fifth. She was, however, little in- 

 ferior, and her companion was only a little short of cushion. If 

 we found any fault, it would be to put tliird-prize second, this 

 pair being fairly good in all respects, and so beautifully and 

 evenly matched as in our opinion to outweigh the better odd bird 

 in the second pen, which was mated with rather a narrow pullet. 

 It was, however, very hard judging all through, and Mr. Teebay 

 is, in our opinion, rather to be congratulated on bis success than 

 blamed for shortcomings. Keviewing the Brahma classes, wo 

 would remark that many Dark breeders seem quite to have for- 

 gotten cushion and leg-feather in their pullets ; while Lights 

 nave little now to wish for beyond marking in hackle, which last 

 is greatly wanting, in many of the cocks especially. 



Malays. — These were small classes, but it struck ua at once 

 that — in the cocks especially — there was some increase of size. 

 We are glad to see it ; it was time. First-prize cock was large, 

 bat coarse and gouty in the legs ; second was a grand — mistake 

 — not a grand bird by any means, the best bird in the class, 897, 

 being left out. In cockerels, first-prize was almost too long in 

 the leg ; the second was good, and so was pen 90S. The first- 

 prize hen was very good; second small, and not so close in tail 

 as should be. The first-prize puUet was leggy, but good in all 

 else ; second much like a Game, being wanting in shoulders, 

 and too small. Pen 921 was much better in our opinion, which 

 is borne out by the fact of her being a well-known winner. 



French Fowls. — Creves were all small classes, which may 

 partly be accounted for by there being only two prizes each. 

 The first-prize old cock was a long, long way ahead of all the 

 others, though second was good also, and the highly commended 

 pen, 930, also fine. Only two cockerels contended for two prizes ; 

 the first was good, but second was small, and sbotild have been 

 withheld, though perhaps the conditions hardly justified such a 

 step. Hens were honestly shown as a rule, the white feathers 

 being left in the crests. J^gain first were much the best, though 

 second were good. The two prizes in pullets were nearly equal, 

 first being best in size and second in combs. Houdans had not 

 fair play by far. Old cocks (sixteen entries) paid £5 8s. in fees, 

 and only obtained i:3 in two prizes. First was fine in size and 

 colour but bad a deformed " doable-double " toe. Second was 

 fine dark colour but small, and entered at only three guineas 

 by BO good a judge of his value as Mr. Quibell. Either 9(;o or 

 9G1 was worth half-a-dozen of him, both being really good birds; 

 we would, in fact, have given the two prizes to these two, giving 

 preference to Mr. Quibell's. In cockerels the same remark as 

 to unjust consideration applies, as it does in less degree to the 

 hen and pullet classes. Cockerels paid £7 12s. in fees, to be 

 awarded £3 in prizes. First was given to a dark but small 

 bird; second good in all points. First-prize hens were light in 

 colour, but large and well matched ; second not so large, but 

 beaatifal plamage. These are not birds of colour, but we must, 

 nevertheless, remark that they are the handsomest we have 

 seen a long while. Pullets disappointed us ; the first-prize, it 

 is true, were a good pair, but one bird in the other pen was 

 small, and the rest of the class not much to speak of. As a 

 whole the Hoadans showed a most decided falling-off. 



Spanish. — Old cocks were a middling lot. First-prize a grand 

 bird, very little trimmed, but face out of condition and scabby. 

 Second a wide face, but bad lobes. Third middling geod. In 

 cockerels (twenty-foar entries), first was fine carriage and style, 

 but only middling face ; second a moderately good bird ; third 

 nnusnally good in comb and fair in face, but carlobes much 

 duplicated ; fourth a sound bird, not matured, but promises to 

 be better than most. Pen 10.il was also a very hopeful-looking 

 cockerel, though not yet ready to show. Hens were a small 

 class of seven, and we may remark that the first-prize pen con- 

 tained the very best single hen we can recollect seeing for we 

 don't know how long ; the other, too, was fair, but it was one 

 hen won the prize. Second a good pair by no means ready after 

 moulting. Third in very poor condition indeed, and not at their 

 best. Pullets were a nice class, first being a really capital pair, 

 something like Mr. Jones's old form — well matched and in nice 

 order. Second and third also good. We cannot forbear the 

 remark that many birds in the Spanish classes were evidently 

 good specimens spoilt by undae forcing. 



HijiEUBGHS. — At Birmingham Blacks came first. First-prize 

 codj'^as very neat in comb, and in colour perhaps has never 

 been' equalled ; the only fault we could fiud was a redundancy of 

 earlobe. Second-prize similar in character, but rather smaller ; 

 third a fair average good bird. First-prize hens were not good ; 

 one was squirrel-tailed, and both far too long in the leg, and very 

 deficient iu lustre. Second-prize were smaller, but better in 

 every other respect, one bird being the best iu colour we have 

 yet seen. Third, large and slightly heavy-looking. The Gold- 

 pencilled winner was the best bird, perhaps, ever seen, and was 

 run-up at the auction to no less than eleven guineas, at which 

 price he was bought-in ; every point was good, but the sickleEV 

 especially were wonderful, and with patience (less than " the 

 patience of Job ") and care might do good service to a Hamburgh 

 exhibitor for years to come; this bird, however, was honest 

 enough, and his owner may well "hold on" to him. Second 

 and third were neat, but had bronzy tails. The female class 

 was not up to the mark, even the prize pens being deficient. 

 The first two Silver-pencilled cocks were fair, but far inferior to 

 those shown two years ago. Third not yet ready to show, but 

 when grown, if properly washed, would make as good a bird as 

 any of the three. The pullets were better than in the Gold class, 

 " the Duke " winning with a pair especially good in tail. In 

 Gold-spangled cocks both first and second were grand birds, the 

 first being chiefly superior in breast and bars. In the hens wo 

 were only thoroughly satisfied with the first-prize pen, the 

 others being in poor condition. The winning Silver-spangled 

 cock was a beautiful bird in all but legs. These were nearly 

 white, and it is a question if this should not have displaced 

 him ; he was, however, clearly the best in all other points. 

 Second and third were good average prize birds. Fourth was 

 in bad order, or would be somewhat difficult to beat. The first- 

 prize pair of hens contained one really grand hen, but, as a 

 whole, this class has been far surpassed iu former years. The 

 second-prize were pretty good, but uot at all a good match, and 

 rather wanting in size of spangling on the shoulders. 



Polish. — The first-prize White-crested cock was barely througli 

 his moult, which made his triumph all the more creditable. Se- 

 cond also a good bird, with crest very honestly shown. The 

 hens, on the contrary, were very severely trimmed. In Gold- 

 spangles the first-prize cock was the only one in really good 

 condition, second not being fairly moulted. The winning hens 

 were very fine in all but tail coverts and tails, which were much 

 shaded on the ground colour. The first-prize Silver cock was 

 Mr. Adkins's well-known bird, and secured the cup. Mr. Beldon's 

 second-prize had not fully grown his tail, and was curiously • 

 remarkable for a double or bifurcated spur on each foot. The 

 first-prize hens were good in all points, except that much of the 

 lacing looked sooty iu colour througli bad condition. 



Any Vabiety Class. — In this class a good pen of La Flech& 

 won first, a fine pair of Cuckoo Dorkings second, and a very 

 pretty pair of Sultans third. Mr. Fowler had also a nice pair of 

 Leghorns ; the rest struck us as rather a poor class. 



G\i\iE. — The Game fowls were fewer than usual, but most of 

 the classes contained many excellent birds. The Judges ap- 

 peared, however, to have an impression that highly commendeds 

 cost half a guinea each, for we can never remember being so 

 struck with the paucity of these cheap distinctions compared 

 with the really good quality of the classes. With this excep- 

 tion, and the one or two cases named by us, we could fiud, and 

 we heard, little fault with the judging. The first-prize Black 

 Eed cock was rather too long in the head perhaps, and third a. 

 shade too crooked in beak, but all were good. In stags there 

 was a decided mistake, which we are convinced was a mere 

 clerical error — i.e., that the bird was iu some way mistaken for 

 one in the next pen. He was rather hump-backed, tremen- 

 dously long in the thighs, and had been cut in both feet for 

 duck-foot. We believe this award was really meant for the next 

 pen, 1309, which contained a capital bird iu every respect. 

 First and second were very fine in all points. Fourth was 

 perhaps a shade too dark, and fifth was a little weak in on© 

 back toe ; but except the third-prize, there was little room for 

 complaint. First and second Black Red hens were a mere toss- 

 up ; third had lost a bit of her comb in one of those squabbles in 

 which some ladies will indulge; fourth looked to us rather soft. 

 In the pullets third and fifth were gems, and would have been 

 higher but that they were decidedly too small. Among the 

 Brown Hed cocks the winner stood a long way ahead ; he was n 

 laced-breasted bird, shown in the very pink of condition. Se- 

 cond and fourth were good too, though some way behind ; but 

 third was again a mistake, this bird having tremendously broad 

 and soft sickles, almost like those of a Brahma, and being also 

 too narrow behind. It was a singular coincidence to find the 

 same broad sickles in the third-prize stag, but they were not in 

 this case soft as in the old class : it is, however, desirable to 

 remark on this feature, which looks so out of place iu a Game 

 fowl. The winning cockerel was a splendid dark laced-breasted 

 bird. Both hens and pullets were a fairish lot, but several birds 

 were in vei-y soft feather. In old Duckwing cocks tlio first three 

 prizes were the only birds good in colour, the fourth being 



