October 20, 1863. ] 



JOTIENAL OF HOETICXTLTITRE AOT) COTTAGE &AEDENEE. 



321 



Any other variety class was well represented by two splendid 

 pens of Brahmas, to which first and second were awarded. 

 iMr. C. Coles sent some very fine Andalusian chickens, but 

 they were too late for competition. Some very good Bantams 

 were shown, the Black Bed Game of Mr. Kellaway taking 

 first pi-ize, and the cup for the best pen in the Show. The 

 cock is a perfect Game in miniature in every respect, and 

 does the o^vner credit. Mr. Nicholson's Dnckwings were 

 very good, the cock (an old bird) having a splendid wing, 

 in fact, a perfect Game Ductwing. Mr. Sandford showed a 

 good pen of Brown Beds, but they anived too late. The 

 Single Cock class was the best in the Show. The fii'st- 

 prize birds were splendid. It was the same as that which 

 took fii-st at IsUngtou this year. The second was also a 

 beautiful bird. The third was likewise good. Had not the 

 Crame been so good the piizes would have been richly 

 desen'ed by Mr. Edwards for Polish, and Mr. Priest for his 

 Dorking cock, both of which were above the ordinary class. 

 All the Ducks were very fine ; and the Geese were above 

 the ordinary standard. The Pheasants were well represented 

 by three good pens ; and the Ornamental Waterfowl con- 

 sisted of a good pen of White Call Ducks. 



The Pigeons to which the prizes were awarded were good, 

 but the rest were very inferior. The Babbits were good. 



Spanish.— First and Second, Rev. T. R'. Brownrigg, Southsea. Highly 

 Commended, J. Eyles, Southsea. 



DOKKiKGs.— First, H. JI. Ford, Portsmonth. Second, Mrs. Sothery, 

 Haslemere, San-ey. 



Cochin-china.— Prize, J. W. Kellaway, Isle of Wight. Highly Com- 

 mended, J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury. 



Game.— Second, M. Billing, Jun., Gravelley Hill, Birmingham. First 

 withheld. Highly Commended, H. Adney, Lympstone, Devon. 

 Hamburghs. — First and Second, G. \V. Ranwell, Portsea. 

 Polish.— Prize, T. P. Edwards, Lyndhurst, Hants. Highly Commended, 

 T. P. Edwards. 



Any otheb vabiett.— First and Second, C. Priest, 'Worthing. 

 Bantams. — First and Cup, J. W. Kellaway, Isle of Wight. Second, 

 O. Nicholson, Fareham. Highly Commended, A. S. Yates, Alresford, Hants ; 

 J. K Fowler, Aylesbury; M. Billing, Jun., Gravelley Hill, Birmingham. 



Single Cocks. — First and Cup, G. W. Kanwell, Portsea (Black Red 

 Game). Second, 31. Billing, Jnn., Gravelley Hill, Birmingham (Black Red 

 Game;. Third, W. P. V. Wallis, Portsmouth (Brown-breabted Red Game). 

 Highly Commended, T. P. Edwards, Lyndhurst, Hant-s (White-crested 

 Black Poland) ; C. Priest, Worthing (Coloured Dorking) ; Bev. J. de la S. 

 Simmonds, Winchester (Spanish) ; H. Adney, Lympstone, Devon (Game). 

 DccKs (.\ylesbury).— First and Second, Mrs. M. Seamons, Hartwell, 

 AyJesbury. Highly (jommended, W. Wildey, Ccsham, Hants. 



Ducks (Any other variety) — First, J. Adams, Fareham. Second, C. 

 Priest, Worthing. Highly Commended, Rev. D. Binney, Southampton ; 

 E. Pigeon, Lympstone, Exeter. 

 Geese. — Prize, J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury. 



Gold and Silver Pheasants, Ornamental Watehfowl, &c, — First, 

 — Bond, Bishop's Waltham. Second, A. S. Yates, Alresfoid, Hants. 

 Highly Commended, W. Clark, Bishop's Waltham ; A. S. Yates. 



Pigeons. — First, H. Bunce, Camberwell {Short-face Black Mottles). 

 Second, A. S. Yates, Alresford, Hants (Dun Caniers). Third, R. Sutton, 

 Deptford (Blue Pied Povvtere). Highly Commended, E. Pigeon, Lympstone, 

 Exeter (Runts) ; E. Body, Portsmouth (Red Pied Powtersl. 



Rabbits.— First, G. Jones, Birmingham (Fawn Doe). Second, J. Haile, 

 Milibank (Grey and White Doe). Highly Commended, G. Jones (Fawn 

 Doe) ; J. Haile (Black and White Doe, Tortoiseshell Doe). 



Judges. — Poultry. — Messi-s. E. and J. Smith, of Portsea. 

 Pigeons. — Mr. Newman. Babbits. — Mr. E. Smith. 



SMALL BIEDS AND THE POULTET-KEEPEE. 



I AM vei'y glad some one has taken ixp the subject of small 

 birds on behalf of poidtry-keepers ; for I am convinced from 

 my own knowledge and observation that where one keeps 

 poultry he may catch his own caterpUlai's and grubs himself, 

 the birds — I aDude to the sparrows — never touching either 

 caterpillar or grub while they can pick up corn, meal, &o. 

 Having been considerably annoyed and plundered by these 



Utrtle pilferers, which fly completely through the wii-es of my 

 fowl establishment, I have manufactured the foregoing pre- 

 ventive, a sketch of -which I enclose, as it may bo of as much 

 use to some of your correspondents as it has been to me. 



Four posts, or as many as may be 

 requii-ed, are firmly fixed in the 

 ground. A coU of spaiTOw-proof 

 wire is then wound all round, except 

 at one end, outside these, and pegged 

 down to the ground. A piece of wire 

 is then placed over the top, and con- 

 nected with the sides and end by 

 twisting. The door is composed of 

 the same wire fastened on a strong 

 piece of wire bent into a square form, 

 and of such a size that it shall swing 



easily in the aperture left for it. Two pieces of wire bent 

 into an s a^e hooked to the top, and these hang on a 

 piece of strong wire stretched tightly (for it must not bend) 

 across the doorposts. The fowls push open the swing 

 door to feed, and this span-ows have not strength to do; 

 and the desideratum of feeding one's fowls and not tha 

 sparrows is also accomplished. After a little practice tha 

 fowls become used to it, but it must be left open at first to 

 encourage them. It is quite amusing to watch the sparr()wa 

 during this feeding; they perch round and on the wire, 

 apparently loudly exclaiming against the contrivance and 

 their swindle, and they adjourn afterwards in despair to the 

 toeakfast Nature has provided them with, and which, when 

 corn-fed, they are too lazy to seek. — Lex. 



AAA Are the posts, 

 s The door. 



c A fowl entering, 



D A disgusted and hungry sparrow 



EANDOM APIAEIAJSr NOTES. 



" B. & W." — I hail with pleasm-e the re-appearance of 

 your excellent correspondent under this title, and shovild 

 like him to give an account of the native bees of Australia. 

 Having a near neighbour who has resided at Adelaide for 

 thirty years and upwards, he informs me that the only draw- 

 back to the English bees which have been introduced there 

 is, that the bees are tormented constantly by the ants, which 

 are more numerous and of a laa-ger size than those in England. 



The Hampshiee Bee-keepee. — This gentleman is quite 

 correct in describing the admirable bee season of 1857. It 

 was one of a famous cycle of good years (also 1858 and 1859) 

 which preceded the three untoward seasons of 1860, 1861, 

 and 1862 ; and even amongst the mountains in North Wales, 

 bees collected sufiicient honey to maintain themselves during 

 their long winters, after the three magnificent summers of 

 1857, 1858, and 1859. 



Parthenosenesis. — The Editors (the "head hitters, as 

 the countryman caUed them), of The Jotjknal of Hoeti- 

 cuLTtjEE, have given a very proper hint in a late Number 

 to the writers, to be very chary of their remarks on this 

 mysterious subject, not at all fitted for discussion, and I 

 fully intend to reserve my opinion altogether. 



Two Queens at a Time in Hives. — Mi-. Lowe seems to 

 coincide with me, that at certain seasons an old and young 

 queen may frequently be seen in one hive dm-ing the whole 

 of the swarming season. I myself have frequently seen 

 two queens, and once three, on the outside of nearly half a 

 peck of bees which had lain out in most unsettled weather 

 in June, when swarming had been retarded. 



Me. Woodbtjkt.— I am glad that Mr. Woodbuiy parted 

 with the extra queen mentioned, as her death would cer- 

 tainly have followed soon. At the same time, although his 

 case seems an exceptional one, I am of opinion where large 

 hives are separated by "supers" or other divisions, like 

 Nutt's old boxes, it is quite possible an impenmn %n %mpeno 

 might hist foi- a couple of months after swarming tune, or 

 even much longer. Again, Mr. Woodbm-y shows his can- 

 dour in describing the fight which took place on his sendmg 

 one of the queens to Mr. Fox. 



HoNETXiEW.— This sweet exudation rarely comes on the 

 trees in August except in extremely hot dry seasons, when 

 nearly aU the best honey flowers have been prematurely 

 hastened to seed. In 1846, it appeared to be very abundant 

 between the 10th and 30th of June ; in 1859, it appeared 

 plentiful in parts of June and July ; and in the last summer 

 in July, as mentioned by me before. But I must own that 



