March 4, 187J. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



191 



leggy, but as it waa there were sufficient points about the bird 

 to qualify it for the place it occupied. The Rev. H. F. ITamilton 

 also exhibited a spleudiJ specimen, which did duty iu its cage 

 exceedingly well. I like to see easy-standing birds iuashow 

 room, without so much fiddling with them against a wall. It is 

 all very well to train Belgian birds when young to get them up 

 to a certain stand or position, but to have to put every Belgian 

 tird through a certain amount of drilling before deciding 

 upon their respective merits would alone occupy one day in 

 judging the Belgians alone. Mr. Doel followed the Kev. H. F. 

 Hamilton's bird with a couple of good birds for third and 

 extra third places. Both classes were well represented, many 

 fine and deserving specimens receiving high commendations. 

 Class IG ^Va^iegated Belgians). — Mr. Butter of Sunderland was 

 here more fortunate, taking first, second, and third prizes, and 

 a very highly commended. Mr. Doel, Mr. Carver, and Mrs. Ada 

 Dressing were the only other exhibitors. 



The classes for London Fancy birds brought to the post a 

 dozen of each kind, Mr. Waller of London showing five Jonques 

 out of the twelve, and taking the first prize with a good-coloured 

 bird (309); Mr. Brodrick being second, and Mr. Price third. 

 In Mealies Mr. Waller waa again to the front, his b'li, which 

 was decidedly the pick of his pair, being first, and ^21 second 

 Mr. Mann of Camberwell, London, showed three Mealy birds 

 and obtained a third place. 



Lizards were iu good force in the four classes, two of which 

 were for Foul-marked or Broken-feathered birds. In the whole 

 of the classes Mr. Fairbrass was pretty successful. As in the 

 Norwich and Cinnamon classes, I should not be surprised to 

 hear of separate classes b«ing established for high-coloured 

 Lizards ; not that I think Lizard birds are at all improved by 

 high feeding, but judges differ somewhat in their views as to 

 colour, somn preferring the pure and unadulterated golden tint, 

 and others the fiery red in Jonque specimens. No. 531 (Fairbrass), 

 Golden, was brought to the post in very good order, not a spangle 

 oat of place, and fair in other respects. It would have been a 

 doubtful case betwixt that and No. -534 (Cleminson it EUerton) 

 had not the latter bird's shoulder feathers appeared slightly 

 awry. An equal second was won by Fairbrass, and a third by 

 Banting, both tolerably good birds, the latter somewhat behind 

 in colour, but much better iu shape. Class '20 (Silvers), the 

 first-prize bird a very good one (Pt,eid), in its proper place ; the 

 second and third being given to a couple of birds out of Mr. 

 Fairbrass's four. Class 21 (Golden, Broken Cap.s) were thus 

 fairly distributed: Fairbrass first, second, and extra third; 

 Buntinc extra second; and Cleminson & EUerton extra third. 

 Class 22 (Silver, Broken Caps), Fairbrass once more first with 

 a fine bird, and also third ; G. i J. Mackley popping in between 

 the two a clever second. 



The class for Yorkshire birds does not make much headway 

 at the great Show, Yorkshire breeders seemingly not caring to 

 send their birds so far southwards. Considering that Clean, 

 Marked, or Variegated (irrespective of colour) are all included in 

 one class, I look upon it as a miserable entry. However, Mr 

 Belk of Dewsbury made it worth his while, having won a first, 

 second, and extra third ; Mr. Tomliu of Lincolnshire winning 

 the third prize. 



Cinnamon birds this year were spread over five classes, two 

 extra classes having been made for high-coloured birds. This 

 was certaiuly an improvement upon the previous Show, where 

 high and low colour were mixed up together. Cinnamons of the 

 present day, better known by our forefathers as Quakers, have 

 much improved. They partake more after the shape of the 

 Norwich birds, and to a certainty much of the Norwich blood 

 has been imparted or they would not show the beautiful bloom- 

 ing tint of feather they do. Formerly they were of a dull, quiet, 

 sickly appearance. 



In class 21, for high-coloured Jonques, Mr. Adams carried out 

 his season's performance by beating all comers and winning 

 the three prizes. In the next class, high-coloured Buffs, Mr. 

 Adams won first and second with the two birds he had entered ; 

 Messrs. Mackley being third, and Mr. Tarrond extra third. In 

 classes 26 and 27 there was more competition amongst the more 

 moderate-coloured Cinnamon birds. The winners in the first of 

 the two classes were Caplin, Poole, and Bexson, and iu class 27 

 Mr. Adams made another point for first place with a fine- 

 feathered bird, followed up very close by Messrs. Moore and 

 Wynne, who exhibited a capital second-prize bird. Mr. Bexson 

 was again third. In the last two classes seventy-two birds were 

 exhibited, which will give some idea of the competition. There 

 were sixteen entries in the class for Marked or Variegated Cin- 

 namons irrespective of colour, and the north-country exhibitors 

 had the best of the race for the first and second places, Mr. 

 Belk leading, followed by Mr. Wilkinson of Great Horton. Mr. 

 Tomes was at home with a fair bird (702) out of his three, not 

 the highest-price one either. By-the-by a bird in this class 

 was priced at no less a sum than i;iOOO, but I did not hear of a 

 buyer — no, not even a bidder. The price of Canary seed could 

 not pospibly have enhanced the value of Canaries to such an ex- 

 tent. Not having any wish to purchase I passed on to the next 



class — Any other variety of Canary not previously specified. 

 There was a fair variety in this class, consisting of Scottish Dons, 

 Manchester Coppys, Cinnamon Crested, an original wild Canary, 

 Green Canaries, a Cape Canary, a Jonque Greeu, Scotch Fancy, 

 besides others, the prizetakers being Messrs. Mackley first with 

 a splendid Coppy having a glorious crest ; T. Curtis second with 

 another good Coppy, and S. Tomes third. Here also I found a 

 talking Canary, the price of which was set forth at £105 — much 

 cheaper than the one in the previous class. The bird was mute. 

 Not a word would it utter, and I left it. — An Eye-witness. 



KUFFED OR PINNATED GROUSE. 



I H.tVE been reading " Wilson's American Ornithology." Iu 

 the second volume from page 311 to 320 is a description of the 

 Ruffed Grouse (Tetrao umbellus). It is well known over all the 

 United States as the Pheasant or Partridge of New England. 

 Its natural habitats are high elevations covered with wood, and 

 in such places they breed and roost, only leaving such recesses 

 for the purpose of feeding ; therefore to many of our noble 

 Dukes— to wit, of Buccleuch, Argyll, Sutherland, and other 

 Highland magnates it would be au elegant addition to the Black- 

 cock, Grouse, and Ptarmigan. They pair iu April and lay th»ir 

 eggs iu May (nine to fifteen) ; fine plumage, is 18 inches long 

 and 23 inches in extent; and as it prefers high, cold, mountain- 

 ous, woody places, it would do well for Scotland. It struts with 

 its tail up in the breeding season the same as our Blackcock 

 does. The Pinnated Grouse are so wild that they would stand 

 immigration. Messrs. Baily might procure some. — A. H. B. 



[Pinnated Grouse have been imported iu considerable num- 

 bers of late years. We have had many, but they are singular 

 birds, and we doubt much if they would ever acclimatise in our 

 islands. There is a belief here and in parts of the United 

 States that at a certain timo of the year the RuiJed Grouse is 

 very unwholesome, if not poisonous, food. Attempts have been 

 made two or three times to introduce the Hazel hen into Scot- 

 land, but it has not succeeded. We believe climate has some- 

 thing to do with it. We will communicate with the firm you 

 mention.] 



Poultry and the Season. — Snow, frost, and sleet foUow one 

 another iu brisk succession, even in the south of England, and 

 seldom has so uupropitious a season been knowu for early 

 chiclsen-rearing. From all sides we hear complaints that eggs 

 do not hatch, and that broody hens are not to be had for love or 

 money. Still there is a bright side to every picture, and we 

 must bear-up against a bad hatch with the nope that, though 

 there be only one chicken, that it is quite possible it may be a 

 cup-winner and sell for i'2U. While this bitter east wind lasts 

 the few chickens we are lucky enough to have should be cooped 

 in a dry shed, or at least be protected from the wind. March 

 and April chickens generally make the finest birds iu the end, 

 and it will not do to condemn stock birds yet, especially if they 

 are over one year old, aud doubtless a little warm weather will 

 work a change for the better. 



CONSTRUCTION OF BREEDING CAGES AND 

 EXTERMINATION OF RED MITE. 



Starting with the advantage of some experience of the sub- 

 ject of breeding gained during my boyhood, for my father waa 

 an inveterate fancier, I did not fall into the mistaken views I 

 have seen so frequently repeated by novices of building com- 

 plicated constructions, or of purchasing the fanciful productions 

 to be obtained at the shops devoted to the sale of presumed re- 

 quisites. Cages of this description tend to perpetuating the 

 red mite, the most alarming, vexatious, and most costly plague 

 the breeder has to annoy him. There are few breeders who 

 have not fought a battle or two of extermination with this per- 

 sistent little parasite, and who have not at times given up almost 

 in despair at their very wonderful regeneration. 



Specifics out of number have been recommended, but I know 

 of none thoroughly effective, and of one only that can claim 

 any pretence to a cure — viz., cleauliuess and isolation of every 

 cage. As it can scarcely be expected that my argument will be 

 sufficiently powerful to induce any of your readers who have 

 made their arrangements for the coming season to start with a 

 complete set of new cages, I will endeavour to explain to them 

 how easily this pest maybe kept at a minimum. If they have 

 detached or even semi-detachea cages, any precautions taken at 

 this season, if effective, wiU repay both birds and breeder in 

 comfort and happiness. Presuming that every earuest breeder 

 has been or is busy cleaning, washing, varnishing, and whitening 

 his cages, and that every crack, crevice, and corner has been 

 thoroughly overhauled where it is posbible for mites to have 

 taken up their abode, let him obtain two pieces of fine-grained 

 wood — mahogany by preference — 3 inches ixjuare, aud from half 

 to three-eighths of an inch thick, aud brad or glue them on to 

 his cage at each bottom corner, with a marginal space of about 



