332 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTTJRE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



[ October HI, 1809. 



lonp in Rendiog tho prizes after the show is over ? From some ehowe 

 helii more than two mouths apo. the prize money has not yet been 

 sent, nor even the money for birds sold at the time. Thia ia very 

 mn basin 68 8 -like. — An Amatecr. 



TASMANIAN POULTRY SHOW. 



TnK fifteenth annnal bIiow of ponltry and bodr birds, held nndcr the 

 anspireR of the TaHiiinnian Poaltry Society, was opened Anpnst 10th in 

 tho Towu Hall. The Show was one of the largest yet hold in Hobart 

 Town, and tho spacious hall and ante-rooms aCTorded abnndaut space 

 for the proper display of tbo exhibits without inconveniencint; the 

 promenaders. 



IncJudiuf^ those sent in for exhibition only, wo counted over 

 270 pens and cages in the Show, a great display for Tlobart Town. 

 The exhibits emhraced fowls of every class. Turkeys, Geese, Dncks, 

 Pigeons, Canaries, and song birds in great variety, besides Pheasants, 

 Babbits, and miscellaneous live stock, including a kangaroo. 



Beginning at the barndoor department, Ifinkinfift, lilach Spanvsh, 

 Cwhut-C/uufL^, Ih-iihitta I'oqtras, and others of their kind were exceed- 

 ingly well represented, and many of tho specimens were of the very 

 lirat quality, the prize-winners in the respective classes being greatly 

 admired. The Shanghaes especially were in excellent feather, of good 

 colonr, and perfect wonders in size. They reminded us of the hrst 

 specimens of this kind of fowl shown in Uobart Town, which were 

 entered some years ago by Mr. Thomas Paterson, a gentleman whose 

 name we were sorry to miss from the entry list. The Oame fowls 

 exhibited were below the average, and for these birds, which have 

 generally formed an attractive feature of the show, the season seems 

 to have been somewhat uufavourable. The Otinw Bantams, particu- 

 larly the Duckwings, were exceedingly beautiful, and formed a most 

 attractive feature of the show ; they were in very fine plumage, and 

 nearly all worthy of honourable mention. There were nine pens of 

 Tttrh:ijs, but we cannot refer to them as of more than medium excel- 

 lence. One pen of pure white, being curiosities in their way, were 

 greatly admired. 



The waterfowl were not very numerously represented. A couple 

 of pens of very fine 6V'..sv were shown by Mr. Perry, being hybrids, 

 the produce of the African Geese imported by Mr. Graves, and the 

 good old grey Goose of England, ifr. Perry was the fortunate 

 purchaser of a pair of African Geese at the Peoples' Auction in aid of 

 the Franklin Island Fund, and the noble birds shown represent a 

 portion of the prolits of Lis speculation. There were two or three 

 pens of Aylesbury Ducks shown, but we cannot speak of them very 

 highly : they were of good size and pure in colour, but their condition 

 did not entitle them to rank as first-class specimens of this famous 

 breed. A pairof very pretty Maori Dncks, exhibited by Mr. Alderman 

 Pelbin, attracted a gi*eat deal of notice, and were much admired. Before 

 leaving the waterfowl, wo must not omit to mention a pair of very fine 

 Cape Barren Geese exhibited by Mr. .J. W. Graves. These beautiful 

 creatures are natives of Cape Barren, and are peculiar to the region of 

 Bass's Straits. They are now becoming almost extinct, and it is to be 

 regretted that some protection is not afforded to them by our Native 

 Game Act. They are remarkably docile and affectionate, and the 

 pander shown, who rejoices in the name of Darby, follows his owner 

 abont like a dog, and perambulated the room several times, allowing 

 the children to pat and make friends with him. 



The Hon. Mrs. Du Cane was the exhibitor of three fine English 

 Pheasants, a cock and two hens, which were mnch admired. 



The Pigeons were a great feature of the show, and there were 

 upwards of seventy cages exhibited, embracing nearly every variety : 

 Baldheads, all colours ; Yellow Beards, Blue Beards, Pouters, 

 Tumblers, Turbits, Almonds, Carriers, Archangels, Jacobins, Barbs, 

 Nuns, Kites, and others in variety too numerous to particularise. A 

 pair of Lachlan Pigeons, exhibited among the Doves, resembling a 

 good deal the Crested Pigeon of the marshes, were very greatly 

 admired. In the first ante-room there were twenty-six cages of various 

 flong birds and Parrots, and twelve pens of Eahbits. — {Mcrcnry.) 



K.VBBITS AND THEIR VARIETIES. 

 I HAVE been from Lome, but on my retnrn, upon looking 

 over " our Jonrnal," I was delighted to find bo much in- 

 formation bad been given in reference to both Babbits and 

 tlieir judges ; all tending, I hope, to bring about a more satis- 

 factory state of things. If this should be the case, the result 

 \»iU be an increased number of entries at all shows where it is 

 known that a competent judge will award the prizes. I have 

 been much pleased with the valuable information given in 

 these pages week after week respecting ptn'trr. Pigeons, and 

 bees, and as regards these, various points in dispute seem 

 now to be permanently settled. For instance : the Houdon 

 controversy respecting Lis red feathers, or his having only four 

 claws, is now quite understood; and of Pigeons, the points 

 are now fully understood, and the stamp of perfection must be 

 apon the birds before they can be at all in favour with the 

 judges whose critical eyes detect the least detect. I would ask. 

 How is it that such a knowledge of the points of merit is ac- 



quired'.' I would give the old-fashioned fcnt tme answer — "By 

 study of the subject." When fanciers of liabbits can feel 

 the same confidence as those of poultry or Pigeons in send- 

 ing their pets to shows, they will Be eatiBfied, and when as 

 much intelligeQce shall be brought to bear in discriminating 

 the good qualities of Kabbits as in the case of the feathered 

 tribe, their owners will have to be very thankfol. I trust this 

 enviable state of things is not far distant. 



I am glad to find so much interest excited on behalf ol 

 Rabbits, and am quite certain good must result from what ve 

 have seen and heard upon the subject during the last few weeks, 

 and I feel confident that all committees for their own Bakes 

 will see the importance of appointing a aompetent judge (or 

 the Rabbits, irrespective of his knowledge of poultry or Pigeons, 

 be that extensive or limited. 



Some allusion at times is made to the points of excellence, 

 and the peculiarities of different kinds. The " Lops " I am 

 glad (as I am sure many others will b<} have been ably de- 

 scribed by Mr. Hudson, and I now venture to eay a little in 

 reference to the other varieties. 



If I had to attach some distinctive words by way of appella- 

 tion, to each variety, they would be as follow : — The Lop-eared 

 I should designate graceful ; the Patagonian and Belgian Hare 

 Babbit as majestic or noble ; the Angora as showy ; the Hima- 

 layan as neat ; the Silver (Jrey as of a mercurial temperament ; 

 and the Dutch as pretty. Now, all these I keep and I have care- 

 fully noticed their peculiarities. Abont three hundred are 

 born in my rabbitry every year. 1 shall refer to them al- 

 phabetically. 



The Angora, originally from the town of that name in 

 Asia Minor, is of a kindly disposition, and the doe very proud 

 of her young. At times I think no sight can be more pleasing 

 to a Babbit-fancier than to see a pure white doe with her 

 equally white and silky family around her. 1 do not quite 

 incline to the belief that the buck of this variety is so fretful 

 as represented when separated from the doe, neither do I feel 

 quite sure as to the safety of the young ones just born, if the 

 buck is left with them ; not that he would destroy them in so 

 savage a manner as bucks of other varieties, yet I think the 

 chances are that many would be trampled to death. As the 

 result of my experience, I recommend that the parents be sepa- 

 rated until the young are at the least six weeks old, especially 

 if you would have quality instead of quantity. There is not 

 that distinctive feature as to the markings of colour as in some 

 other varieties, the important point being length and silky 

 quality of hair irrespective of tho markings. White seems to 

 be the favourite colour, yet it is not the point to insure a prize 

 if the hair is not of the proper length and quality, and I have 

 seen black and white, blue and white, grey and white all 

 first-prize winners, possessing the other requisite; — namely, 

 length and silky quality of hair. The hair, on the Continent 

 especially, is made of commercial importance, and I have met 

 with both French and Germans who have done a rather large 

 business in this commodity, and in which I am sorry to say 

 the poor Babbits have to be painfully interested by having the 

 hair torn from their backs three or four times a-year. I would 

 recommend the torturers of such innocent-looking pets to 

 cease such cruelty, and to the attention of the Society for the 

 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Perhaps the best method 

 of removing the hair when matted, which is generally the 

 case when many young ones run together, is by means of 

 an iron comb (dressing comb), removing a little at a time, 

 and in a few days the old fur will be gone, and the second will 

 not again become so awkward to manage, especially if attended 

 to every few weeks. Thus the Babbits are always smooth 

 and fit to exhibit, and the hair becomes longer with age, 

 and may be used for a variety of purposes if the skin is properly 

 cured. 



The Belgiax Haf.e variety is an excellent breed for table 

 purposes, and may be reared to a large size. I have them 

 weighing IO.t lbs. The marking is unlike that cl the or- 

 dinary grey common Babbit, as some darker shade of hair 

 seems spread over tho body, giving the animal a more rich and 

 motlled appearance, and in general resembling the Ilare. I 

 find this breed rather delicate to rear, especially in very hot 

 weather. The doe is prolific, eight or ten being the usual litters 

 I have. These Babbits are imported from the Continent, 

 and more especially from Belgium. The doe seems rather 

 more wild than with some other varieties, and easily frightened. 

 I have known the new-born litters quite forsaken at the ap- 

 eparance of a mouse in the hutch, or on a loud peal of thunder 

 being heard. Most of the other varieties ore alarmed by the 



