134 



JOURNAL OF HOETIO0LTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



[ FebruiUT 5, 1874. 



wings with very pale blue; " and as this last description would 

 aiford some apology for her being in a Blue class, it is, in my 

 opinion, probably correct. 



It is singular that none of us quite agree ; but in all three 

 descriptions the very pale ground-colour, combined with dun, 

 are found. Eeturning to " Turkey Quill's " first letter, he 

 remarks that blue-black means simply a bad black, buff-yeUow 

 a bad yellow, etc., etc. To this I cannot agree. A blue-black 

 means that the black is "bad," certainly ; but it means that the 

 black is bad in the direction of being blue ; and there is another 

 equally " bad black," which would not be so described. So of 

 the buff-yellow, &c. ; they do not mean simply " bad " colours, 

 but bad in certain definite directions. In exactly the same 

 sense I certainly meant that the Carrier hen was " a bad- 

 coloured dun," but bad in the direction of being silver. The only 

 alternatives I can conceive would be a dun silver (which would 

 be a barbarism) or a dun chequer ; and the dan was not dark 

 enough nor the chequer clear enough for the latter term. 



I may, however, add that my very obvious intention was not 

 to give such a precise description of the bird as might convey to 

 distant fanciers the colour of every feather, but to express the 

 impropriety of her being in a Blue class. For this purpose I 

 used the nearest short expression which came to hand. I shall 

 be glad to know what " Tubkey Quill " would have called her; 

 but beyond that, the question as to this particular bird is not 

 worth discussion. If it should, however, be the means of 

 opening-up the general nomenclature of colours, such a discus- 

 sion may prove both useful and interesting ; but I would suggest 

 to " Turkey Quill" to simply mention any point that occurs to 

 him frankly and directly on general grounds. It will equally 

 answer his purpose, and save both time and space. — Youb 

 Beportek iT Glasgow. 



I H.wE noticed " Turkey Quill's " notes on the above subject. 

 The Carrier in pen 77 at the late Glasgow Show was what I 

 would call a Dun-chequer, the ground colour of the feathers 

 being of a light dun, and tipped with a darker shade, presenting 

 a dappled appearance like a Blue-chequer. The term silver dun 

 as applied to Autwerps of a mealy colour is, as he says, incorrect ; 

 but Autwerps are to be had of a colour which the term sUver 

 dun is, I think, a correct name for — viz., a silvery ground with 

 dun bars and neck. The real sUver colour as seen in Ealdpates, 

 Bragoons, and occasionally though rarely in Pouters, is a very 

 light blue with black bars. Silver Dragoons with dun bars are 

 Silver Duns, and black-barred birds are Silvers. There are five 

 colours of barred Pigeons : blue with black bars, silver with 

 black bars, silver-dun with dun bars, mealy with red bars, and 

 yellow-mealy with yellow bars. When I came across pen 77 at 

 Glasgow Show, and referred to the catatogue, I was of opinion 

 that the bird being a Dun-chequer had no place in the Show at 

 all, and was not entitled to the prize. 'The three classes for 

 young Carriers were : — No. 11, Blacks ; 12, Duns ; and 13, Blues. 

 In the old classes, however, the Blues included any other colour, 

 and it was an evident omission not to have the same clause in 

 the young class. 



I think the following list includes all the self-colours found in 

 English Pigeons: — Black, red, yellow, dun, blue, silver-dun, 

 mealy-yellow, mealy-blue, chequer, red-chequer, yellow-chequer, 

 dun-chequer. Besides these there is a colour often seen in India, 

 particularly in Fantails, Sherajees, and Mookies, which I would 

 call simply blue, being of the colour of the body of a Blue Pouter, 

 but without black bars or dark neck and tail. White might be 

 called a self-colour also, except that, properly speaking, it is not 

 a colour, being the result of want of colouring matter in the 

 feathers. Pure white Pigeons (albinos) are to be got in almost 

 every large field dovecot, and the ingenuity of man in matching 

 whites with coloured birds has resulted in mottles, baldpates, 

 splashes, and every degree of marking. I would not call an 

 Archangel a self-coloured Pigeon, though without white, be- 

 cause it is of two very distinct colours — black and copper- 

 coloured. — J. C. Lyell. 



BELFAST CANARY SHOW. 



(Concluded from page 113.) 

 Belfast Snow was a first attempt ; and the launching of such 

 an expensive affair is a matter which keeps its promoters on 

 thorns till the opening of its doors decides whether the public 

 or the Society are to pay for the spectacle. It requires a 

 knowledge of the tastes and inclinations of townspeople before 

 entering on the speculative business of exhibitionising, and the 

 process of educating people in a certain direction may turn out 

 rather expensive. The schedule was good and the scale of prizes 

 liberal, and I am sure it only requires that exhibitors be made 

 aware of the facilities for carriage to ensure for the Belfast 

 Society a brilliant future. The success of this, the first Show, 

 must have been very gratifying, but I am much mistaken if the 

 Committee will rest satisfied with less than twice the number 

 of entries next year. With such stuff at the back, a show is 

 capable of being increassd to any exten and then the question 



will be, as was gravely mooted, " Where shall we put them ? " 

 " Build a place," replied Mr. Montgomery. 



I am not iu the poultry " line," though I have a lot in my 

 yard which I will show against all comers as eaters. I refrain 

 from publishing my balance-sheet lest it should deter others 

 from commencing such a healthy pursuit. "Wiltshire Rector" 

 once tried to get me into Pigeons ; and if any birds could have 

 appealed to refined taste, the pair of snowy Fantails be sent 

 me ought to have done so. And once Mr. Fiilton took me round 

 the Newcastle Show, and talked to me like a father. I suppose 

 my tastes lie iu another direction. But " what great events 

 from trifling causes spring ! " My falling in love with the Canary 

 arose simply from the fact of a drunken sailor sitting on a cage 

 on my door-step. To save the birds I took possession of the 

 cage. The man never called for them, nor could I ever find the 

 owner. And when I moved into the house where I at present 

 reside, I found in the yard a small poultry-house. It looked to 

 me like a Bantam arrangement, and I have since discovered that 

 birds of no less note than Mr. George Hall's Bantams have lived 

 iu it — and — possibly may again. That little poultry-house set 

 me going, and how soon a taste grows ! It was with a new 

 pleasure I went the round of every pen in the Show with Mr. 

 Leno. The use of the Judges' book left the counterfoils in our 

 hands, and his notes and remarks upon nearly every pen were 

 extremely interesting, indicating the accomplished judge, and 

 showing with what care he had weighed over the merits and 

 demerits of every bird. The poultry world has received a 

 valuable acquisition in the elevation of Mr. Leno to the " bench," 

 and no inquirer (or grumbler either) could look in his face and 

 say. Why? without feeling certain of getting a most courteous 

 explanation or satisfactory reply, at the bottom of which plainly 

 lies undeviating honesty of purpose. In the Selling class several 

 pens were pointed out to me as representing full value for 

 money; and notably in the single cocks one of Mr. John Stuart's 

 Dark Brahmas, No. 158 ; and among the " best pair of hens or 

 pullets " Mr. B. P. Williams' Dorkings, No. 200 ; and Mrs. 

 Taaffe's Cochins, No. 228. 



The Ulster coat was happy among the Pigeons, and duly 

 performed his devotions before Mr. James Montgomery's won- 

 derful Dun Carrier cock. I didn't watch him ; but I understand 

 that when he put tlie cup-card on the pen he respectfully raised 

 his hat to the noble bird. 



The great features in the Canary classes were the " Scotch 

 Fancies" — indeed, no other variety except the Belgian seems to 

 have been cultivated in Belfast. The Belgians themselves were 

 only an indifferent sample, though there were one or two which 

 showed they had it in them. 'The Fancies were a fine lot of 

 birds, but in many cases very coarse in feather. The silver cup 

 for the best specimen was won by Mr. Samuel CroU with a 

 Yellow hen — a gem, her mother standing second. I was glad to 

 find both belonged to the same owner, as they were so much 

 superior to the rest, and so much alike that it was no easy matter 

 to separate them. I think I have seen longer birds, but for 

 symmetry and quality of feather they were unique. The 

 winning birds were all meritorious specimens, and but very few 

 in either of the four classes were thought undeserving of com- 

 mendation. Mr. Baxter's small collection from Newcastle, 

 embracing Clear, Variegated and Crested Norwich, Lizards, 

 Coppy, Cinnamons, Variegated ditto, and Mules, including a 

 very pretty Cinnamon Mule, bred from Cinnamon cock and 

 Goldfinch hen, attracted considerable attention, and next year 

 these varieties will find a place in the schedule. Our British 

 birds were poorly represented. The Skylark, Song Thrush, 

 Blackbird, Bullfinch, Starling, and other familiar faces were 

 absent. But Belfast did its best ; and if fanciers will do their 

 best to help Belfast, then Belfast will do its utmost to help them. 



Judging over, we endeavoiu-ed to solve the problem as to how 

 many persons an Irish " kyar " will carry, and how many miles 

 au hour a grey horse can " reel off." Both seemed to me to be 

 unknown quantities. Our destination was Springfield, where 

 Mr. Mulligan has a pretty little place, and thence to Whiterock, 

 the residence of Mr. Firth, the working Secretary, pleasantly 

 situated at the base of one of the mountains which bound Belfast 

 on the north-west. I should think the " jarvie " never drove 

 such a load before. About half-way to Springfield he pointed 

 over his left shoulder with his whip to a large red-brick brildiug. 

 "D'ye see that?" "What?" "That." "Which?" "That." 

 "Well! " " Shure an' it's the Lunatic Asylum!" We dropped 

 Mr. Jones at Springfield, and picked him up on our return. Ha 

 was doing the otium cum dignitate iu an easy-chair with au 

 Havannah. A glass of champagne and a look at Mr. Mulligan's 

 poultry cups, and the "jarvie" whisked us back to Belfast to 

 the serious business of the day — the dinner at the " Imperial." 

 After-dinner speeches are proverbial; but Mr. Montgomery's 

 loyal speech on giving " the Queen," his remarks on Home Bule. 

 and his hints and advice to young fanciers, the fruits of years of 

 experience, will not be forgotten by those who listened to them. 



An early ride and a bracing air enabled us to do justice to Mr. 

 Firth's good things at breakfast at Whiterock next morning, 

 and as the steamer did not sail tUl five, there was not that cause 



