November 19, 187-1. ] 



JOURNAIi OF HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



459 



large and gijod. 1274 (Lake), a well-Bhown Stylish bird, but hardly- 

 large enough. 



In hens the first was smart-looking and well marked ; we 

 believe she was second as a pullet here last year. The second 

 we did not fancy ; she looked rough and untidy. The third a 

 large bird, but a shade too light, still this was a good hen, and 

 we liked her better than the second ; but we liked pen 1299 

 (Dring) the best in the class. She was very grand iu colour and 

 shape, and was the bird we noticed as first at Nottingham, wo 

 believe. 131G, highly commended (Wood), very good indeed. 

 1307 (Quibell) good in size but rough in legs. 



The cockerels were a good class, with not much between first 

 and second, both being large stylish chickens. Third rather long 

 on the legs, but a good bird. 1345 (Whitworth), large and good. 

 The fourth was a massive heavy bird, useful, we should say, for 

 the breeding pen. 1332 (Hibbert) a good smart bird. 



In 2>iillets we liked the first very much; she was good all 

 rotmd. Second rather small, but good colour. The third was 

 rather narrow, but well marked. Fourth a very good bird with 

 splendid claws. 1375 (Neville), very good. 1382 (Vallance), a 

 promising bird of good shape. 1390 (Robin), an admirable 

 pallet, and good iu head. 



Cbeve-Cceuks. — These, though they did not muster so well 

 as the Houdans, were good classes. We liked the first old cock 

 immensely, his shape and colour being very good. Second also a 

 large fine bird, well shown. The third rather weedy, but good 

 colour. 1397, highly commended (Mortimer), very good indeed. 

 The hens, too, were fiue, as good as any we ever saw. The 

 first had a grand crest, and was generally good. Second large 

 and heavy. Third a fair bird, cheap at £3 3s., catalogue price. 

 1424 (Holmes), a good-shaped bird. 



The winning Ureve cockerels were superb. The first and 

 second were quite pictures; we think they were the Oxford two. 

 They looked none the worse, and walked iu first and second. 

 Third was a good colour, but we fancied his tail was on one side ; 

 we looked at him several times, and each time were of the same 

 opinion, though we know a bird will sometimes carry its tail 

 wrong in a pen when he is really all right at home. 1448 (Ew- 

 bank) a good bird. 



Pullets were a good collection. First and second were both 

 good, and very nearly balanced. The third good and cheap. 

 1463 (Wood), very massive and large, as was 140G, belonging to the 

 same gentleman. 1467, commended (Fowler), very good indeed, 

 but young. 



Any Vaeiety Class. — This was a wonderfully good class, and 

 the collection of breeds was very varied. Large La Fleohe were 

 first. They were a good pen, and had regular La Fleche heads. 

 Second, charming White Miuorcas, and beautifully shown. 

 Third, White Sultans, one of the best pens we ever saw, good 

 in all points, and very white. The extra fourth were a capital 

 pair of White Leghorns, well shown, and good in comb and 

 colour. Highly commended (Walker) capital Cuckoo Cochins ; 

 highly commended 1922 (Kitchin) Brown Leghorns, the best 

 cockerel we ever saw of this colour, and mated with a good hen ; 

 1927 (Ward) good Leghorns, and 1928 (Loft) admirable Sultans; 

 1935 (Long) good Black Minorcas, and 1941 (Jacomb) fine White 

 Leghorns with huge combs. We admired this class immensely, 

 and thought the winners were well chosen. 



Silkies were a good class. We fancy this breed wiU soon be 

 in great estimation. The demand increases steadily, and the 

 use of them for sitters is now appreciated by all. This breed 

 has had its points laid down at last, and is judged by them, we 

 are glad to see. The first was the Oxford cup pen ; the second 

 a good pair, and well shown ; the third a nice cockerel and a 

 pullet with a most exquisite crest, but sadly lacking in leg- 

 feather. Mr. Broad had a nice cockerel, but too red in comb. 

 We thought 1914 (Cresswell) well worthy of mention; 1915 

 (Darby), a very neat pair, but not quite white enough, still they 

 were a good-shaped pair, with neat heads. 



Bantams. — The Game Bantams struck one as being a little 

 oyerlarge, and, having more of the Game fowl in them, get its 

 size. The Black Beds, as usual, were the best. Brown Reds 

 improved, and Duokwings also ; but the Pile Game more im- 

 proved than either. They now look game, and no mistake. The 

 Black Bantams seem now more even than formerly ; as witness 

 of this, able judges considered 2693, only a highly-commended 

 pen, as good as the first-prize. 



Sehrights are again Gold and Silver, and not cream-coloured. 

 The first Gold, beautifully laced ; so also second, silvers. The 

 Nankin were poor indeed, and the first prize rightly withheld. 

 Frizzled, and Pekins, and others brought up the rear; the 

 former of these, the prize one, beautiful in quaintness. The 

 Whites were few. 



THE PIGEONS. 

 These were, as last year, arranged in the transept in front of 

 the theatre, and that transept was more than full, as the pens of 

 the four pairs had to be placed elsewhere. First came Class 112, 

 Blue-pied Pouter Cocks. — First-aud-eup, a fine shaped and 

 limbed bird, not certainly in good show, but undoubtedly Al. 

 He was first also last year and at Glasgow, and his owner, Capt. 



Hill, is to be congratulated on his bird and his success; second 

 is a fine bird ; third, slender in girth, lengthy, but a little foui 

 in legs. 



Black-pied Cocks. — This class was not so good as the young 

 Blacks. First is a noble bird and not oiled down like one near 

 to him to improve his colour. Why is this done ? Second, a 

 bulky bird, heavily plucked in legs, but colour good ; third, in- 

 ferior to the other prize birds save in .slenderuess, in which 

 point he excels. 



Red and Yellow Cocks. — Would there were a sufficient number 

 of entries to warrant the separation of these classes, but even 

 both together they made but a small class. First, a good Dark 

 Bed, the only good Red iu the class, and the limbs nicely covered ; 

 second, the colour inferior ; third, a Yellow, the only Yellow 

 shown in this class, a tine long-limbed graceful bird. 



White Pouter Cocks — This was a large class. First, a remark- 

 ably fine long bird ; second, shape good, but legs rather bare ; 

 third, another long bird. 



Pouter Cocks, Any colour and marking — First, the huge 

 Mealy that won last year. I should like a class for Mealies and 

 Chequers, perhaps that will come like other good things ; se- 

 cond, aWhite with a splashed tail, no doubt very useful in the 

 loft ; so also of the third-prize, another good stock bird to keep up 

 the size of the Pouter. 



Pouters, any colour, bred in 1874. — These young birds, like all 

 young birds at shows, form a very interesting class, because 

 they promise what the future birds will be. Fiist and-cup a 

 Black, colour and markings excellent, but in bad show ; second 

 a Yellow, very good in crop, but apparently a little short; third 

 a Blue, a nice clear colour, who will do more presently. 



Pouter Hens, Blue-pied. — First-aud-cup, a splendid bird in 

 colour, and limb, and globe, but bars not too black, and tail a 

 little short ; second small and inferior save in globe ; third, well- 

 shaped and long, but rather too flagged. No. 3000 was a very 

 long and fine bird, 18i, and superior in my judgment to the second 

 save in colour, globe being too gay. 



Black Hens. — First good ; second too heavily flagged and some- 

 what stout — the fault of Blacks, for they are apt to be Hottentot 

 beauties ; third and No. 3008 very deserving, and marked, as it 

 quite deserved, very highly commended. 



Red or Y'ellow Hens. — First, the best Red shown as to colour ; 

 shape also very good. Second a Yellow, not a sound colour, but 

 a pretty bird ; third a Red, large, but otherwise not deserving. 



White Hens. — First very large ; second, a better bird be- 

 longing to the same owner; third, excellent limbs. The 

 Whites were large entries. 



Any Colour and Markings. — First, a very queer colour, but 

 such a graceful bird; the first last year, the best heniu the Show 

 this, a model of a graceful lengthy Pouter hen. Second, awashed- 

 out Mealy but long ; third, a Chequer and not very noticeable. 



Any-colour Hens bred in 1874. — First, a beautiful Blue bird, 

 not yet, I believe full four months old, a charming bird, most 

 promising ; second, none too good a Blue ; third, to my thinking 

 a better bird. 



Having now passed in review the Pouters of the Show, I am 

 aware that they have been spoken strongly against, but I think 

 that absent birds are often thought the best ; but if they were 

 brought side by side with those less highly esteemed they would 

 not seem so very good after all. Absence, like distance, " lends 

 enchantment to the view." There ia certainly room for im- 

 provement, and as the young Blacks are better this year than the 

 old ones, I hope next year other classes, especially Yellows, 

 may show marked advance. 



Carriers. — After a glance at the Pigmy Pouters — a pretty 

 little lot of pretty fellows — and their males, I come to the high- 

 class Carriers. 



Black Cooks. — First, fiue bird, noble iu beak-wattle, good in 

 eye, grand iu size, with well-fitting beak, and in good condition. 

 Second, an old bird, doubtless ; beak-wattle excellent, eye in 

 somewhat a bad state. Third, well-shouldered bird, eye good, 

 beak not quite so good. No. 309, a very spleadid bird of Mr. 

 Montgomery's, standing well off the ground. A grand Pigeon, 

 but not noticed. 



Black Hens.— First, a very good pen; second, nice little hen; 

 third, good, but aged, and in very bad condition. 



Dun Cocks. — First, a noble bird, but a little mottled in plum- 

 age ; second, very sound in colour; third, a very nice bird. 



Dun Hens. — First-aud-cup — and deserved her honours — beau- 

 tiful plumage, graceful form, and all the look of a Carrier; 

 third better than second, except iu plumage. 



Any-colour Cocks. — First Blue. Head excellent; colour not 

 too good — somewhat smoky. Second, Blue again, and better 

 colour, but a smaller bird ; third, a good bird. 



Any-colour Hens. — The second-prize pleased me best. 



Black Carrier Cocks, 1874. — Here came the treat as to Carriers, 

 They were a large and very beautiful class, perhaps never 

 such seen before. First, very good, but I must own I liked 

 second best, the colour brilliant, and when so it adds much to the 

 Carrier's beauty; third, very excellent, and fourth deservedly 

 given. 3196 very highly commended and admirable. 



