July 23, 1874. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



85 



Comh. — Single, high and large, prolonged behind, as straight 

 as possible, anil regularly and largely toothed. The comb is 

 Bomatiraes double and granulated, especially in the White 

 variety. 



Wattles. — Long, large, and hanging. 



Cliecks. — Covered with small, short, white feathers. 



Ears. — Rather long, red at the ends, of an azure blue, and 

 pearly near the ear passage. 



iJeai.— Strong, aud curved downwards; black and yellow. 



Eye. — Iris, dark red ; pupil, black. 



Foot. — Of medium length, strou^', fleshy, and good pinkish 

 white ; soft, aud of a very fine textaru. 



Fig. 28.— Dorking's Foot. 



Fig. 29.— Dorking's Foot, 

 under 5ide. 



Toes. — Strong, well-jointed, five in number, and of the same 

 characteristics as the foot (figs. 28 and 29). 



Flnmage. — The G-rey Dorking, which is the most noted aud 

 characteristic variety, has the hackle and the long saddle feathers 

 of a beautiful straw colour, thickly marked with small black 

 spots. The shoulders are of a deep yellow. The feathers which 

 /;over the wings are of a fine black, with very bright purplish 

 iridescence ; the large flight feathers white ; the breast brilliant 

 black ; the sides, thighs, and abdomen of a dull black ; the large 

 tail feathers black ; the covert feathers of the tail aud the sickles 

 black, with green and bronze iridescence. 



The cock is very beautiful, and of a very sedate aspect. Its 

 head, wattles, and thick hackle give it a very patriarchal ap- 

 pearance. 



SHEFFIELD POULTRY AND PIGEON SHOW. 



Many shows have been started at Sheffield, yet there has been 

 none in that important centre of industry which has been 

 annual, most of them having failed owing to want of public 

 support. Whether that which we now report will become a 

 fixed event remains to be seen, but while we were there on the 

 first day (July 18th) the visitors were not at all numeious. The 

 schedule was an attractive one, many extras in useful Sheffield 

 ware being given besides substantial money prizes, and the 

 entries amounted to about a thousand in all. The management 

 was in the able hands of Mr. Hawley, of Girlington, Bradford, 

 and the only drawback was that on some account Messrs. Turner 

 were disappointed of some of their pens which had been in use 

 at other exhibitions, and this threw the penning of the birds 

 somewhat behind, so that the arbitrations were not commenced 

 till some time later than was intended. Very large aud excellent 

 tents were provided. 



Black Red Game cocks were first, but did not show well. 

 The first-prize bird, though a grand fellow, was duck-heeled; 

 the second, though stylish, had lost one spur, and the third was 

 a little flat-shinned. Most of the class were rather shabby in 

 feather. In hens the first was large, stylish, and good in hand, 

 but rather coarse, yet fine in feather ; the second of high quality 

 but out of condition, while the third also was of good quality. 

 The piece of plate was awarded to Mr. Matthew's well-known 

 Bxown Red, the second being a stag of great promise. In hens 

 an excellent Brown Red was first, closely run by a good Pile. 

 Dorkings — cooks were fair, and in hens a splendid chicken was 

 first, second good, but the third a little faded in colour. Cochin 

 cocks were a little shaky as a rule, Lady Gwydyr's large old Buff 

 coming second to a good light Buff, which, however, was a little 

 mealy in tail. In hens the first and extra prizes went to a very 

 grand Buff pullet, the second and third to hens. In Dark 

 Brahma cocks the cup was awarded to a Shefiield bird of great 

 size and good shape, the breast being slightly mottled; second 

 a grand bird in all points, but rather yellow; third a good bird, 

 but smaller. In hens the first was good in shape and well 

 pencilled, also of Shefiield; second very large, but not equal in 

 pencilling and shape — a reaUy good puUet. In Light Brahmaa 



a cock of great merit, but a little yellow, was first; and in hens 

 a model pullet. 



Spanish cocks were a grand class. First a large-faced and 

 broad-dropped bird ; second good in face, but narrower in drop ; 

 Hud third a smaller-faced bird, but by far the best in quality. 

 The extra prize went to the first-named cock. Good as were 

 the cocks, a treat was awaiting us in hens, and we do not hesi- 

 tate to say this was the best class ever seen at this time of year, 

 and we leave the award to particularise the quality respectively. 

 French were poor, the winners excepted, La Flcche taking the 

 plate. 



In Golden-spangled Samhiirghs the birds were mostly good, 

 but one or two rather old for the show pen. The first, a tho- 

 roughly well-marked bii-d, had lost one sickle. Hens were very 

 good ; the fii-st, one of the best-marked we have seen of late, aud 

 sound in colour, but rather broad in comb ; second not so bright 

 in ground, but well spaugled ; third also a thoroughly good hen. 

 In Silver-spaugled the first was a model bird, but the second 

 and third failing in spangles on the tail hackle. No. 1C.5, shown 

 by Mr. Long, was almost equal to the first, but sadly broken in 

 feather either at or in transit from Lincoln. Hens good, but 

 not quite up to the Goldens. The whole of the winners in 

 Golden-pencilled cocks were good in colour and tails, and, if we 

 are rightly informed, are the produce of one yard. In hens the 

 first was a model of his kind, the second only losing a little in 

 tail, while the third was exceedingly bright in colour, but bad 

 in comb and tail, aud a little mossy, and yet at first sight she 

 appeared the beat. The winners in Silver-peuciUed were good ; 

 the first a model bird in all respects. The next class contained 

 some good hens, though, to our liking, rather smaller than is 

 desirable; the third a good pullet. Black Hamburgh cocks 

 were good in all points, and the cup for Hamburghs was given 

 here, but the hens pressed closely, the first being perfect. 



In Polish Silvers won in both cases, while Goldens were 

 second and third ; and in the Variety class good Sultans were 

 first, Scotch Greys second, and Redcaps third. 



Bantams came next. Black Red cocks heading the list, the 

 first and extra prizes going to a graud old cock rather thick in 

 neck aud broad in sickle, while the colour was superb ; second 

 and third were good stylish birds, one rather broad in head and 

 out of feather, and losing in colour, and the other a similar bird, 

 but the shafts of the sickles red. In hens the first was a grand 

 pullet in both style and colour; second a good hen, and third 

 also a hen. In the following class a Pile was first, Duckwing 

 second, and a very pretty Pile cockerel third. We do not know 

 a better Pile hen in the fancy than that to which the first 

 prize for Any other variety of hen was awarded ; style, colour, 

 and condition were perfect. Second came a grand Duckwing, 

 and third a Pile pullet. Black Bantam cocks were very good, 

 but not so the hens, excepting that which took the first prize. 

 The piece of jjlate for these classes went to the Black cook. The 

 Sebrights in the next class were not in the best bloom, although 

 we doubt not that when in feather they will be good. In hens 

 a Pekin was first aud a Golden-laced second; the third, a Silver 

 Sebright, was quite patchy in marking and needing moult. 



There were six Selling classes, and all well fiUed — in fact, 

 quite a little show of themselves, and the winners were in most 

 cases birds fit for any competition. 



Pigeons formed a fine display, and the classes were well filled. 

 The cup for the greatest number of points was won by Mr. 

 Taylor. In Blue Pouter cocks two birds in prime condition 

 were first and second, the third-prize one also being good. In 

 White cocks Mr. Nottage won both prizes with good birds, the 

 second losing only in leg-feathering. Carriers were not numer- 

 ous, but some were good, Mr. Yardley's Blackcock winning very 

 easily, as also his hen in the following class. The first-prize 

 Almond cock was far a-head of the second in head properties, 

 but was closely pressed in point of colour and marking. English 

 Otvls were one of the best classes ; the first, a Silver hen, almost 

 perfect, and second a really good Blue. In Turhits Mr. Jones 

 showed a grand Silver cock, to which the piece of plate was 

 justly awarded; and in Dragoons, Blue or SUver, the extra 

 prize was given to a Blue cock with the right style of head. 

 Antioerps were good classes, the cup going to a Short-faced cock. 



R.iEBiTs. — Most of these were placed too high to be easily 

 seen, but these were not the Lops. In Lop bucks the first was 

 a Fawn in fine order, 22 by H inches in ear; second a Black- 

 and-white, 21 by 4J inches. In does the first was a Black-and- 

 white, 21 j by 4{ inches, large, well marked, with an enormous 

 dewlap, and awarded the piece of plate ; second a grand Grey, 

 good in colour, 21 { by 5 inches; and third a Tortoiseshell, 

 rather small, and not in the best order, 21 J by 4 J inches. Silver- 

 Greys came next, but these did not prove good, except the first- 

 prize doe, and this needs a little more time to bring out the 

 silvering ; second also a doe not in such good order as we have 

 seen her ; and third a buck rather darker than is desirable, but 

 very fair for a buck. Some of the best Rabbits in this class 

 were in full moult. Of Himalayan there were only three in the 

 pens, the first large aud good in head, but only moderate in feet ; 

 second very fair in points, but small and rather mousey ; the 



