146 



JOURNAli OF HORTICUIiTUBB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Febraary 23, 1877. 



berwell, and the anctioneer is Mr. Snch. We Bhoald think 

 fanciers in that neighbourhoofl will fiud this a useful means of 

 sale, sitaated as the rooms are in so densely populated a part. 

 The first sale was well attended. — W. 



AQUARIUM POULTRY SHOW. 



Among all the modern improvements for giving enjoyment to 

 man, the now fashionable Winter Gardens rank high. It cer- 

 tainly is pleasing to find shelter from the open parks on windy 

 days in a well warmed garden under glass, where strains of 

 popular music are hoard, and the exquisite odours of spring 

 flowers and the colouring of varied and ornamental stive 

 foliage plants mingle pleasantly and kindly for our gratificition. 

 This week is added to those charms in the Winter Garden at 

 Westminster a poultry and Pigeon Exhibition for the United 

 Kingdom. From Ireland, Scotland, and Wales ; from the busy 

 towns of Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool ; from quiet 

 country homes in inaccessible districts, came in the baskets on 

 Monday evening, succeeded by their owners on Tuesday morn- 

 ing to enjoy the well-ordered menu of Messrs. CottoH & Ous- 

 tance. It is late in the exhibition ar-^na for a show on so large a 

 scale, and this must account for tho sparse entries in many 

 classes; and again, many have by now had their eyes ojoened, 

 and having learnt the locale of most winning specimens perhaps 

 dreaded the rechauffe oi Bristol, Birmingham, and Wolverhamp- 

 ton awards, among which their own birds may not have found 

 place?, and so kept their birds at home. The quality, however, 

 embraces most of the choicest winners extant ; and fashionable 

 London, already domiciled for the season, has had an oppor- 

 tunity, amid the odours of hyacinths and the bright colours of 

 tulips, of seeing a poultry show under exceptionally goid cir- 

 cumstances. The Pigeons alone were well worth a visit. On 

 Tuesday the arrangements seemed very much behindhand, and 

 the cards were not up on many pens whea we left at 8 p.m. We 

 understand, however, that Mr. Billet and his staff only got into 

 the hall on Monday evening, as a concert was being held, conse- 

 quently the work must have been severe ; anyhow, at 3 p.m. 

 Pigeons and poultry were without water and food, and cicks 

 back to back were fighting between the bars of the pens. This 

 seemed bad, but mat*,erB gradually improved as the afiernoon 

 wore on. We still, however, say the cards should have been put 

 on far more promptly, iix several fanciers from distint counties 

 went home again quite ignorant .as to what their birds had 

 done. The greater part of our report for this reason we must 

 defer until next week, only giving now a few particulars. The 

 two Dorkiog cups went to Mr. Parlttt's Coloured cock, and to 

 Mr. Cresswell's Whites. Mr. Proctor won the Cocbin cup with 

 a good Buff hen. Spanish and Polands were magnificent, Mr. 

 Norwood again pulling-ofi the Poland cup with his Blacks. 

 French were poor, save for the Houdan hens of Mr. Vallance 

 and the first Crcve cock. Brabmas were moderate, Hamburghs 

 excellent, and the Bantams too were good. Among them we 

 noticed a superb pen of White Rnsecombs, as good a pair as we 

 have seen for along time. The Waterfowl were a fair coUeotioD, 

 the Rouen Ducks being especially fine. — W. 

 THE PIGEONS. 



Poultry and Pigeons at an aquarium ; well, this is indeed 

 strange ! Birds and fish, they don't even ooms on the table 

 togettier ! I have seen poultry and Pigeons in a drill hall ; right 

 enough, too, for Game cock? are tho hest of volunteer fighters, 

 and among Pigeons there are always Trumpeters. I have seen 

 Pigeons in a palace over and over agiin ; right, too, for the 

 Carrier is, we all know, king of Pigeons. I have seen them also 

 in a tent on the green sward at our summer shows, and the 

 green grass and the Dorkings seemed to suit each other, both 

 having a country look; but I certainly never expected to see 

 birds at an aquarium. It has alt igethe'r afisJi;/ look. 



Now, for the sake of our country readers, and as the Aquarium 

 is a new place, let mo say what it is like. It is a sort of smaller 

 Crystal Palace, a cross between that and the Bethnal Green 

 Museum — not all glass, but brick walls, with a glass arch above, 

 galleries round, shops iu parts, and the fish in tanks ranged 

 round the walls, and you see them through the plate-glasa side 

 near you. The Aquarium is most easy to get at — no journey 

 out after London is reached. It is within the shadow of the old 

 Abbey of Westminster, Houses of Parliament clnfe by, aad the 

 boom of Bi:? Ben is heard a? one walks under the glass. It is 

 a London show, then— actual real London. Theday— Tueediy— 

 is, for this soppy drenching winter, quita a respectable day. 

 It does not rain (mark that in your pocket-books), and there is 

 a very old, almost forgotten, acquaintance called the sun actually 

 out, and showing a half-ashamed but still a shining face. 



Next for a good-humoured grumble. Everything is sadly 

 behindhand. It seems there was a concert lati last night, and 

 the birds were not staged till this morning, an ■'' at two o'clock 

 never a card up. I leave when darkness comes, and yet the 

 cards, notably upon the Carriers, Barb.i, and Jacobins, not yet 

 up, and no prize lii-t until to-morrow. Hence I must say some- 

 thing about the Show this week and more next. There must 



not be such hurry-scurry anotheryoar; bad for birds, exhibitora, 

 juJges, and reporters. There are over a thousand Pigeons to 

 eight hundred fowls — Pigeons for near London and Londoners. 

 Perhaps the Aquarium is the best place yet for a show; the 

 light is perfect, the glassy arch high, but not too high. Another 

 tims there must not be pen above pen. With this exception 

 the arrangement is all right, and rows down but not across at 

 the ends is good. Next wei k I shall hope to go through class 

 after class. Now, only to speak generally, the White Pouters 

 perhaps were ahead cf the other classes. The Carriers grand, 

 and one Black cock beyond in wattle anjthing ever before seen. 

 Dragoons most numerous and excellent. Of Tumblers the 

 Short-faced, not being Almonds, very superior. Flying Tumblers 

 a ca])ital lot. Jacjbins some wondrously long-feathered birds; 

 long in chain, across I me-iu. Magpies are rapidly rising into 

 great and deserved favour. Here I leave this pretty show for 

 the present ; pretty, indted, as viewed from the galleries, 

 whence a bird's-eye view nf the birds ; but too far for a general 

 and most telling peep. — Wiltshire Hectob. 



[The awards (although the jufiging commenced on Tuesday) 

 were not forthcoming at the time of our going to press.] 



NORTHAMPTON SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. 



The eighth annual Show was held on the 11th and 15th inst. 

 under the management of a new Committee of the newly formed 

 Columbarian Society. The entries were good, and the whole 

 placed under the management of Mr. Edge of Birmingham. 

 Mr. Hewitt judged the whole of the poultry, which was no easy 

 task. 



Dorldngs headed the list, and the^e were fair classes. 'The 

 fivot-prize cockerel very good, but evidently overshown, as bia 

 tail fell to one side. In the other colours cf Dorkings Silver- 

 Greys and Whites divided the prizes. Cochins were very good 

 classes, the Buffs by far the best; bnt Brahmas vrere to some 

 extent a failure iu quality. French were very good classes, and 

 in cocks, with one exception, the» beat were Houdans ; but not 

 so in hens, for here wore some capital Creves. S;panish. which 

 seem to get a push from this quarter, were very good, the cooks 

 especially fine in face. Game, with here and there a good bird, 

 were a bad lot. Hajnburglis very good. Gold-spangles taking 

 the lead in quality as well as numbers. Silver-spangled cocks 

 were good as far aa the winners went, but the rest only moderate. 

 Hens a good lot. Pencils were mixed classes. Silvers taking 

 the had in btth cases, thtse being by far the beet. Blacks were 

 good classes, and very well placed. Iu Polish the entries were 

 uncommonly large. In coclts a Silver was first and Gold second, 

 with a Silver third, many ethers well deserving a position ; and 

 in hens a grand Silver was first, two capital Golds coming in 

 for second and third. Some good Malay cocks were shown in 

 the Variety class ; but the Eccond position was awarded to a 

 Bo-oalltd Langshan. Iu hens a smart Sullau was first, Malay 

 second, and Minorca third. The Selling cl8S9es were rather 

 extensive, and there were some good birds shown iu them. 

 Game Sanfams were not as good as we expected to fiud them. 

 In the two Variety classes Sebrights won all the prizes. The 

 entries were upwards of ,5.oO. 



Pigeons had 150 entries, of which Mr. Gresham judged the 

 Pouters, Mr. Hutton the Selling clafses, and Mr. Tegetmeier all 

 the rest. Pouters, White, cocks. — First the Lowestoft winner, 

 clear of the rest, which, however, were very good. Hens a good 

 lot, and the competiiiou close. Any other colour. — First a grand 

 Blue; second a Rid, large in crop but thick in girth ; thirds 

 small smart Black. Hens. — First a Blue and also the second, 

 the third a Red ; a fiir let. Carriers had three classes. First 

 iu cocks was a Dun ; the third, a Dan, we liked qnite as well as 

 the second-prize Black. Hens. — First a Black, rather of a light 

 type; second and third were Dun and Black of heavier buiid. 

 Barbs were mostly noticed, and were very good iu both classes. 

 Tumblers. — First a grand Agate, second and third Almonds. 

 Tumblers, Long-faces, were first a Red Bald, second aRisewing, 

 and third a Ytrllow Mottle. Foreign Owls were good, and 

 the local birds look the lead ; first and second White, and third 

 Blue. English Owls were very good, indeed one Blue cock 

 that was put second was in our opinion about perfect as a Blue. 

 Turbits, with a fewexcep'ionp,were not very first-rate. Dragoons 

 had three class 'S, eight out of the niue prizes going to one loft. 

 Jicobins were uncommonly good iu all classes. There were 

 several Selling classes, which were well filled. 



The liabbits were judged by Mr. Hutton, as also the Cats. 

 Of the former there weie 173 in eight classes. The Lops were 

 a very good cla'S ; first a Sooty Fawn, 23 by 5, a grand one in 

 all points ; second a Fawn-and-white, 21 J by 5, good iu all points 

 but smaller; third a Sooty Fawn Buck, large aud very pendant 

 in ear, 22 by -i'i. several others coming close iu measurement. 

 Angoras were also good, the first large and full, of very fine 

 wool: seoind smaller, but aleo fine iu wool: the third losing 

 very little. Many good ones were sadly matted. Himalayans 

 were not a good lot, only the first being of high merit, and 

 this had been bit on the nose, aud showed the scar very pro- 



