April 27, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



33 



Single cocka any other variety were first a Brahma and second 

 a Black Bantam ; and in single hens first was also a Brahma and 

 second a Dorking. Ducks were of no note except the first-prize 

 Eouens and second Black East Indian, both shown in the same 



Jn'pigcotis the entries were not large, Mr. Wilson winning 

 most of the prizes, the most noteworthy classes being Nuns, 

 Magpies, and Dragoons. 



Cage Birds formed a fine featnre of the Show, and there were 

 many good specimens. In Norwich first was a Jonque and 

 second Mealy, these winning more by condition thananght else. 

 In Marked birds of any variety first was a Jonque Norwich with 

 even wing and neat eye-pencilliog, the second being a very good 

 Torkshire. In Mules the whole were from Goldfinch ; first an 

 almost clear Buft, second a four-pointed Buff, and very highly 

 commended a rich dark Jonque. Common Canaries were very 

 good ; but two Norwich birds were shown and had to be passed 

 over, the winners being straisht clear birds. In the Variety 

 class were some grand birds, Belgians, for which no provision 

 had been made, predominating. The first was a handsome 

 specimen in the best order possible, and second a Golden Lizard. 

 The whole of the class was highly commended. 



Cats had three classes provided, the first for toms, in which 

 a very good Silver Tabby was first and medal ; the second a 

 Persian not so good iu colour— a dusky Blue. In shes first was 

 a Tortoiseshell-and-white, a most wonderful Cat if only nine 

 months eld as stated, and second a blue Tabby. In the next 

 class Lion was first, and a Tabby almost equal second. 



POULTRY.— CocaiNS.— Cup, 1, and 2, G. H. Procter, Durham, rhc, J. Hinc, 

 J. DoodB, J. Douslaa, W. Swann. Brahua Pootras.— 1, G. A. Andersun. 2, W. 

 Swann. DoniavGa.— 1, W. Swann. Spanish.— 1, H. Dale. 3, J. Richardson. 

 vhc, T. Oliver. Hambcrghs.— 6o/fZe?i-siJan(;icrf.— 1, C. Smith. 2, J. Morton, 

 rftc. J.Engles. Silntr-'jinnuifd.— 1, G. Alderson. 2. G. Dcstner. tide, J. Curry, 

 W. Johnson. GoldenpincilUil— I. A. SUphenson. 2, T. & J. Kidson. Sdver- 

 peiiciUeil.-\, J. PatterBon. 2, J. Morton. Game.— B/acfcor Brown Beds.— 2, W. 

 Younghusband. Extra 2, J. Nelson. Any otiier variety.— 1, J. iielaoa. 2, F. 

 Stamford. Any variety.— Cock.— 1. A. Smith &B.o\7ey. 2, W. & H. Adama. vhc, 

 ■W. Younghusband. Kfn.—l, W. Younghusband. 2,J. Nelson. tJjic, J. Wilson. 

 OiME Bantams.— Bfact or Broil' liBcrfs.—l, Medal, and 2, J. Nelson. Any variety. 

 — 1, T. Eavley. 2,J. Douglas. Any variety.— Cock.— I, G.BeU. 2, G. Dowie. 

 Hen.— 1, J. Nelson. 2, J. Short. Baktamb.— ^K!/ variety except Oame.-l and 

 ^^hc, R. H. Ashton. 2, W. Newbiggau. Cock.—l, G. A. Anderson. 2, R. H, 

 Asbton. Hen.— 1, T. Oliver. Extra 1, K. Persons. 2, W. Svtann. vhc, A. 

 Cnmmings. Selling Class.— 1, T. Oliver. 2, J. Hine, Ducks.— .4711/ variety. 

 —I.J.Nelson. 2, F. E. Soholield. 



PIGEONS.— Pouters.— Cocfc.—l. G. Destner. 2, P. WilBon. Carbibrb.- 

 Coefc.—l, P. Wilson. 2, D. Beat. Fantails.— f'ocfc or Hen.— 1, J. Duffield. 2, P. 

 Wilson. Turbits— Coc/l- or Hen.— 1, J. Cargill. 2, P. Wilson. Antwerps.— 

 Cock or Hen.— l,yf. Hutchinson. 2. Davison APattiBon. Ndns.— Cocfc or Hen. 

 —l.T. Wilkinson. 2, P. Wilson. Magpies.-CocA: or flen.—l, J. Cargill. 2, P. 

 Wilson. Dragoons.- Cocfc orHen.— 1, J. G. Pattenson. 2, C. A. J. H. Pearson. 

 Any other Variety.- Cocfc or Hen.— 1, T. Wilkinson. 2, W. L. Clark. Selling 

 Class.— Cod- or Hen.- 1, J. Duffield. 2. T. F. Kackham. 



CAGE BIRDS.- Jelloic or Buff.— Cock or Jlrn—l and 2, W. Potts. Marked 

 Canary.- Cocfc or Hen.—\. J. Spencer. 2 and rite. T. Darling. Mules.— Cocfc 

 orHen.— 1, J. Purdy. 2, J. Spencer. Common Canary.— £«# or Yellow.— Cock 

 or Hen.— 1, J. Smith. 2, Hobleirk & Jobling. Any other Variety.- Cocfc or 

 Sen.—l, J. Robson. 2, J. Spencer. Selling Class.— Cocfc or Hen.— It J. 

 Spencer. 2, Hobleirk & Jobling. zi/tc, J. Robson, Hobleirk & Jobling. 



CATS.— Tomb —1, T. Marshall. 2, Miss R.C. Frew. Queens.-I, Miss Taylor. 

 2, Miss M. Nicol. Any other Variety.-I. E. Baxten. 2, Mrs. Brown. 



Judges. — Poultry, Cage Birds, and Cats : Mr. E. Hutton, 

 Pudsey, Leeds. Pigeons : Mr. J. Dye, Hexham, Northumber- 

 land. 



CAYENNE AND CRUELTY TO CANARIES. 



I WAS pleased to notice in the papers some short time back 

 that attention had been drawn to the fact of birds being plucked 

 of their feathers for the purpose of ornamenting the head-dresses 

 of the fair sex. Thus it appears that fashion is encouraged at 

 the expense of a certain amount of cruelty. I believe it was the 

 Baroness Burdett Coutts who recently remarked upon the cruel 

 practice adopted, which, if only partly practised to the extent 

 carried out by Canary fanciers, is barbarous in the extreme. In 

 the Canary world fashion gives the hottest-coloured birds the 

 best chances of winning laurels for their owners ; but before 

 such birds (mostly yearlings) can attain the points desired, they 

 have to undergo a certain process more in accordance with the 

 customs of uncivilised beings than those belonging to a humane 

 country. 



It is against the plucking of the birds' feathers I make my 

 standpoint, and not in particular against the use of cayenne 

 pepper. Science and improvement respecting the different 

 breeds of the Canary are very well in their ways ; but since the 

 knowledge has been brought to bear of imparting high colour 

 to birds during their moult through the use of cayenne pepper, 

 nothing short of actual cruelty in the majority of cases results 

 therefrom. It is a too-well-known fact that before young birds 

 can be made high-coloured in their entire plumage they undergo 

 the torturing ordeal of having the whole of their flights and 

 tail feathers extracted before the now feathers can possess uni- 

 formity of high colour with the cayenne. Besides the plucking 

 of the flights and tails, even the smaller shoulder covert feathers 

 are extracted, and the new feathers have to be grown during the 

 partaking of the pepper diet, before the birds are considered to 

 be in show trim. It is mainly the Norwich breeds of Canary 

 which fall victims to the plucking practice. There are some 

 breeds which entirely eEcape the plucking process for the sake 



of preserving the natural colour of their feathers whilst they 

 are yearlings. 



No doubt those who practise the plucking of birds' feathers 

 would deem it cruel if they were ruthlessly laid hold of and 

 underwent the torture of having their teeth drawn, or the hairs 

 of their whiskers and eyebrows extracted two or three at the 

 time. Canaries, although but diminutive specimens of the 

 animal creation, are equally sensitive of pain. For humanity 

 sake I protest against the present fystem, and would rather see 

 the fancy go back to the days before the pepper was used and 

 sacrifice all desire for such high colour than encourage cruelty. 

 If art be used to improve and beautify nature, acts of torture 

 should not be winked at. But I do not say with Sir Oracle, 



" "SMien I ope my mouth let no doga bark." 

 I do not doubt for one moment but that there are many good 

 fanciers, who favour the pepper system of feeding, humane 

 enough to at once abolish the torture of plucking if means can 

 be devised to exhibit birds different to the system adopted at 

 the present period. If Nature deems it necessary to cast off the 

 nest or body feathers only, why should not birds bo exhibited 

 with their natural-coloured (unpeppered-coloured) wings and 

 tails ? Some such conditions to be specified in the schedules 

 would suffice ; and to further carry out this matter I would 

 suggest that all yearling Canaries which have been subjected to 

 the plucking (so as to enhance the colour in the flights and tails) 

 should be disqualified. With inducements issued to exhibitors, 

 and instructions to the judges how to act, a check would be 

 given to the objectionable and cruel plucking system. A two- 

 year-old bird would be better able to undergo the pepper process 

 than a young bird, and it would be wisdom if fanciers would 

 study this matter. In most instances they are not only larger 

 and finer birds, being well set in their muscular developments, 

 and of more mature constitutions, but pass through their natural 

 process of moulting without being plucked. 



I have known of instances when birds of good form and quality 

 of feather have fallen into the hands of fanciers after such birds 

 had wholly or partly passed through the moult without the use 

 of cayenne pepper. The remarks of the purchasers are gene- 

 rally, " I'll make the bird a good 'un." The birds are then 

 periodically stripped of their feathers from heads to tails, even 

 to the smallest of their feathers around their beaks, eyes, and 

 ears; and so painful and exhaustive do the birds become under 

 the severe operations, that in many instances they have fainted 

 and been rendered entirely prostrate in the hands of the cruel 

 operators. Not nnfrequently the bones of the wings are broken 

 through the operators' clumsy handling, and deaths often ensue. 



Surely it cannot be the wish of the Canary fanciers of the 

 present day to place themselves upon a footing with those 

 monsters of the dark ages who deemed it desirable to destroy 

 the eyesight of their cage pets with a burning wire for the pur- 

 pose of learning them to sing at night-time as well as day ; or 

 of the slitting of Starlings' tongues to make them talk. No, I 

 cannot believe this to be the aim of fanciers, especially as they 

 pride themselves upon keeping up a rule in bird societies— 

 namely, that of " improving the breed of the Canary." 



From past experience I believe the breed can be the better 

 improved without the aid of cayenne pepper at all. I look upon 

 colour, as it is produced with pepper, as a minor point compared 

 to breed. It has been proved beyond all doubt that the use of 

 cayenne pepper to all breeds of the Canary will very consider- 

 ably heighten the colour, let the natural hue of the breed be 

 however pale it may. During my journeyings to several exhi- 

 bitions of the past season I was struck with the appearance of 

 some Yorkshire and Plain-heads, which were almost as deep in 

 colour as any Norwich birds I ever saw.— Geo. J. Babnesey. 



BEE LIFE IN "WINTER. 



At the last Crystal Palace Bee Show I exhibited a small stock 

 of Ligurian bees in one of Marriott's unicomb observatory hives, 

 and the subsequent study of this little colony has revealed some 

 of the vicissitudes of bee life and death which may prove 

 interesting to relate. The hive was constructed for a special 

 purpose ; and instead of a large pane of glass, each side has 

 twenty-five little windows opening on hinges, so that any por- 

 tion of the comb is accessible to the touch as well as to the 

 sight, the only inconvenience being that when the bees are 

 actively working they take immense pains to propolise every 

 joint, so that sometimes the windows are difficult to open. 



The hive was stocked last May with an artificial swarm of 

 black bees, which was afterwards, by exchange of queens, ligu- 

 rianised. The new queen was released in the hive May 18th 

 at sunset, having been caged therein twenty-four hours ; and 

 on the morning of June Gth the first Ligurian workers emerged 

 from their cocoons. Eighteen days and a half only could have 

 elapsed after the eggs were laid. On July 20th all black bees 

 were gone and replaced by young Ligarians. The wet weather 

 then very much interfered with the prosperity of my httle 

 colony, added to which I was so much engaged with my secre- 

 tarial duties to the British Bee-keepers' Association, and no time 



