1T4 



JOUBKAL OP HOBTICXJLTUBB AKD COTTAOB OABDENEB. 



r Febnurr S7, MM. 



Now, in the first place, I htg to inform him that the letter 

 referred to, Binned " John Percivall," (through an error of the 

 printer), was from mvsclf, with my addrcsn as at foot, although 

 no address appeared in print, po that how your rorrespondent 

 arrived at the conclusion that the address was Birmingham I 

 am at a loss to understand. 



I am pleaded to find your correspondent expresses his thanks 

 for the information conveyed in my letter as to what a good 

 Dragon should be. I am quite aware there are more who do 

 not know tlian there ore who do, and I cannot help thinking 

 your correspondent is one of the first-mentioned, or he would 

 at once disnird what he terms the very handsome birds with 

 white rumps that he has lately become possessed of, and which 

 he says, but for the expression of my opinion, he should have 

 been unable to obtain. I beg, however, to inform him that 

 snch very handsome birds may be bought in any qnnntity at 

 Is. 6d. or 2s. ench. Perhaps he would not object to a few white 

 feathers in the flight or tail, which, in my opinion, would not 

 be any more objectionable than the white rump. I am glad to 

 find your correspondent state that many fanciers have taken 

 the hint conveyed in my letter, by discarding the white-rumped 

 birds they previously possessed, such birds being comparatively 

 worthless. 



I cjinnot see any reason for explaining the distinctive pro- 

 perties between the Carrier and the Dragon, these birds being 

 BO entirely dissimilar as to be well understood by all really com- 

 petent judges. 



Your correspondent goes on to say that white-rumped Blue 

 Dragons are better in most properties than those uniform in 

 colour throughout. This opinion, however, is quite erroneous, 

 as the strain I possess fblue-ruraped), are matchless in colour 

 and metallic lustre in the hackle, so striking as to eUcit the 

 admiration of all good judges who have seen thcra. 



In answer to the inquiry as to whether I would discard 

 white-rumped Owls, I reply. Most certainly ; but as to Eunts, 

 Antwerps, and Blue Eocks, they aU rank so low in the estima- 

 tion of the fancier as to make it a matter of indifference 

 whether they be white-rumped or not. 



I am pleased to find after all that the pair of Blue Dragons I 

 exhibited at Birmingham, which were highly commended, and 

 which the following month I exhibited at Manchester, where 

 the same two Judges officiated and awarded them the first 

 prize, elicited your correspondent's special admiration at Bir- 

 niingham, and compelled him to admit they were the best pair 

 in the Show. The pair which took the second prize at ISir- 

 mingham belonged to my brother Mr. John Percivall, of 

 Horborne, and were entered in his name, so that your corre- 

 spondent may now know to whom the birds really belonged. 



Your correspondent admits that my complaint of not having 

 the first prize awarded to me at Birmingham for Dragons was 

 not without good cause, as he acknowledges they were the best 

 pair in the Show. My complaint, on the contrary, that the 

 first prize for Archangels was awarded to me, in consequence of 

 their being two odd-eyed birds, was intended to show how very 

 badly the prizes were awarded in this as well as in the Dragon 

 class ; badly matched for showing the Archangels were, I admit, 

 but having lost one just before the Show, and having but the 

 one pair left, I had no alternative but to send them. — JoNts 

 Pbecitau,, ilontpellier Road, Peckham Rye. 



CRYSTAL PALACE BIRD SHOW. 

 On Saturday week I went to the annual Bird Show at the 

 Crystal Palace, and, by your kind permission, will make a few 

 remarks on what I saw there. I have nothing to say against 

 the judging in the classes for Clear and Buff Norwich Canaries, 

 but if Mr. Welch's birds had been in time for competition Mr. 

 Collinson would have run a good second with liis. I likewise 

 pass by the other Norwich classes (3, 4, and 5), and merely re- 

 inark that they were good ; but as to classes 0, 7, 8, t), and 10, 

 I can find better Belgians at any small public-house show in 

 either Manchester, Oldham, Bochdale, or Stockport, than I 

 saw there that day. The winner in the Crested or any otlier 

 variety class (IfM, ought to have been disqualified at the very 

 beginning, for he had a split crest, and all fanciers know that 

 on account of that he ought " not to be admitted as a prize 

 bird." The owner only sent him to sell, and was certainly 

 surprised when ho saw the award, as he never expected it. In 

 classes 11 and 12, respectively for London Fancy Jonque and 

 Mealy, there was not a perfect bird certainly, but London Fan- 

 cies are hard to meet with very good. Class 13, German or 



any variety, except Norwich or Belgian, was fair; but 14 and 15, 

 Lizards, were bad, bad, bad. There wa.s hardly a fair bird in 

 either class, and light-coloured legs, feet, and beaks, run caps, 

 white-tipped wings and tails, and washy colours, seemed to be 

 the order of the day. Some of the Silver birds looked as if they 

 had been in a snow-sform, their spangling was all indistinct 

 and bhirred. About classes 16 and 17, Jonquo Cinnamon and 

 Buff Cinnamon, I have nothing good, bad, or indifferent to say. 

 Classes 18 and 19, Jonque and Mealy Goldfinch Mules, were 

 capital — very good indeed ; but now let me a.'ik, What are the 

 rules for judging Mules ? One Judge advocates a bird as like the 

 Canary as possible, another man puts an evenly-marked bird 

 first, a bird having the properties of both parents — which is 

 tlie sort we are to breed ? Both these Mule classes were good — 

 very good indeed. Why was the Linnet Mule class struck out 

 this year ? Siskin and (iroenfinch Mules, A-c, ought not to be 

 mixed up with Linnet Mules — they have no chance. Class 21 

 (six Norwich Canaries in one cage), was capital ; 22, (the same 

 number of Belgians), good ; 23, (six Golden-spangled Lizards), 

 bad ; and 24, (six Goldfinch Mnles) first-rate. Now, this Show 

 is an annual treat, but would be better, greater, more success- 

 ful, if, in my humble opinion, the following ideas, which I 

 respectfully submit to the consideration of the Managers of the 

 Show, were carried out : — 



Firstly, let us have an extra Judge for Canaries — three in- 

 stead of two ; let one of these three retire everv- year by rota- 

 tion, so that each year there may be one fresh man among the 

 three. Secondly, take away the prizes for Magpies, Titlarks, 

 and Chaffinches, and give the money as a prize for the best 

 collection of Foreign birds in one cage. Thirdly, make separate 

 classes for Clear and Marked Mnles, both Jonque and Mealy ; 

 and, lastly, do let us have a standard of excellence to breed np 

 to just as the Poultry Club have. I can name lots of men com- 

 petent to draw one up. Messrs. Moore, Willmore, (Joodwin, 

 Barnesby, (of Derby) ; Carnally and Varley (of Nottingham) ; 

 Hawkins, &c., including a few well-known amateurs, might he 

 asked to state their views on the subject. — Henry Bedwell. 



THE BIElSirNGILVM COLUMBARIAX SOCIETY. 



Birmingham has long been noU-d for the excellence of its Pigeons, 

 many lireeders of liifjh staniling residing in the riciuity: bat until 

 Wednesday ln.«;t the midland metropolis neT*T posi»eHsed its Colnmba- 

 rian Society. A few of the most ardent breederd of Pigeons in that 

 neighbourhood, however, thought it most expedicut to form snch a 

 Society, at which friendly discussion on the merits of their respective 

 birds might take place at given short intervals, and an occasional ex- 

 liihition be held to still farther tej;t the perfection of tho Pigeons 

 belonging to the resj>ective members of the Society. The energy of 

 the promoterK of this scheme, and the almost univerjyil fjnpport of all 

 who were solicited, resulted in the gathering together of seventy pens 

 of snch Pigeons as would form a great acquisition to the best of our 

 long-established Pigeon exhibitions. It must be home in mind that 

 only a single month has elapsed since the idea wu-s first promulgated, 

 and any one who attended this first meeting niut^t have been qoito 

 tuken by suqirise to tind the whole collection so good, that not a single 

 inilifferent pen could bo selected from the numeron<i classes exhibited. 



The Show took place in a large club- room at the rear of the Ship Inn 

 Steelhouse Lane. Birmingham, an exceedingly well-lighted structure 

 on the ground floor, ami of most comfortable temperature. The 

 owners of the ver^- valuable birds executed everithing that was re- 

 quireil by their own especial handiwork. The show-pens were fault- 

 less, the condition of the birds eijnnlly so, and the attendance of 

 visitors (entirely by jirivate invitation-cards, for no money was taken 

 at the doors), was remarkably good. The Carri'-rs were especially 

 good classes, the sexes forming two different competitions. Tho 

 rivalrx' in both Carriers and Dro^jons waa extreme, cansing a great 

 deal of friendly banter to take place among the various competitors 

 during tho last month, and. as tho sequel proved, tho struggle for 

 superiority was so closely contested! that even the unsuccessfal birdu 

 could have easily taken premiums at the generality of shows. The 

 Jtitm^rp class was certainly better than has ever yet been witnessed in 

 the locality; and the "Variety class" was an exhibition in iteeU 

 Black Swallows, Ked Swallows, Spots. Bruuswicks, :md Satinettee 

 being all represented by specimens in condition so completely faaltlesfl, 

 a^ to elicit the warmest expression of approbation omoug those by 

 whom the " Toy"' varieties are especially objects of admiration. 



Tliis first meeting was ?o exceedingly well conducted, that many 

 new names were added to the list of members, and wc understand it 

 is now jiroposed to receive members from any part of the k-iiigdora, 

 the only restriction on fntnre exhibitor^ being that they mnst Iw on- 

 rolled memlwrs of the Birmingham Colnmlwrian Society, and that all 

 specimens of Pigeons most be the abwilnte property of those who may 

 exhibit them. A show of birds bred exclusively in 180G will take place 

 in autumn, and it Ls anticipated such a collection will be brought to- 



