498 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTXIBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



( June 18, 1874. 



falling all ronnd the head in the hest specimens ; feathers at 

 the top f^'O-wing upright, and some falling in front. 



Whinlcers. — Very thick. 



Crarat. — Long, thick, and coming down below the wattles. 



Comb (fig. Ifi). — Variable, but being always formed of two 

 horns, sometimes parallel, straight, fleshy, sometimes united at 

 their base, slightly indented, pointed and diverging at the top; 

 sometimes approaching this last arrangement, but having some 

 branchlets on their inner sides like the horns of a young stag. 



Size of Comb — Varying in length from 2 inches to 3J inches. 



Bars. — Whitish, of the ordinary size, almost hid under the 

 feathers of the whiskers and crest. 



WattJrs. — Hanging long and fleshy, from 23 inches to 4 inches. 



NoHtrili. — Open, large, with projecting bumps around them. 



Iris of By p. — Darkish red. 



Pjipil of Eye,. — Black. 



Physiognomy of the Sead. — It is something like that of the 

 Hoiidan. The eyes almost entirely disappear under the feathers 

 of the crest. The comb, in the form of horns, gives to the face 

 of the Creve-Cccurs a Satanic appearance. 



Foot. — Sole of foot strong, and varying in length from 2J to 

 3i"; inches. The toes, four in number, are stronger and larger 

 than those of the Houdan. 



Colour of Foot. — Black, or blue darkly silvered. 



Weight of Chicken. — The Cn':ve-Coeur is even more precocious 

 than the Houdan, and its flesh more abundant, and at the same 

 age surpasses that of the last-named. 



THE PLD1L4GE. 



Entirely black, shining, and iridescent ; blue and green upon 

 the neck-hackle, in the long pointed feathers of the back of the 

 wings, and of the feathers which cover the base of the tail, and 

 the large and snaall sickles. The rest is of a dull black, except 

 the feathers on the abdomen, which are of a brownish black. 

 The crest is generally white to the hind feathers after the third 

 or fourth moult. Many birds have the neck-hackle, the long 

 pointed feathers of the loins, and the feathers of the wing-coverts 

 of a straw colour, which does not indicate their not being of 

 pure blood and incapable of reproducing black, but they are less 

 esteemed by amateurs. The feathers of the hackle, the crest, 

 loins, tail, are extremely long and tufted, and they form with 

 those of the other parts of the body a plumage more fluffy and 

 abundant than that of any other variety. 



BATH AND "WEST OP ENGLAND SOCIETY'S 



BRISTOL SHOW. 



No. 1. 



Theee is a sort of conundrum song which was wont a few 

 years since to be warbled over " the dear cold keys of the piano," 

 as Mendelssohn used to call them, beginning, " "What will to- 

 morrow be ? " and before one could think of the day of the year, 

 or who was born on the coming day, or whether one had some 

 engagement on it, was heard the very true but somewhat dis- 

 appointing answer, " Who can tell ? " I always felt that the 

 singer of that disappointing song ought to have some special 

 personal or vocal attractions, or one must be angry with her. 

 " What will to-morrow be ? " matters not much to that great 

 majority of English people who happily have themselves and 

 their goods under a rain-proof roof; but as to the good folks 

 who are exhibitors at an outdoor show like that of the Bath 

 and We^t of England, it is to them a very serious matter as to 

 what will be the weather of the Show week. I had been fried 

 some years ago at the Wells Show, and nearly drowned when 

 the peripatetic Bath and West of England (aye ! and Southern 

 Counties in addition now) wandered off to Dorchester, where 

 the rain poured on and on, and I ate my lunch in a tent, knee- 

 deep in straw like a horse, and yet my feet got wet ; but a 

 better fate this year awaited Council and exhibitors, and holiday- 

 goers at Clifton, for the weather on Tuesday (9th) was superb — 

 warm and dry, and a nice air going on breezy Durdham Down ; 

 the flags streaming away, and now and then canvas beneath them 

 flapping pleasantly. "What a pity," said Dean Swift, "that 

 fine weather hurts anybody ;" so I felt on Tuesday, for agri- 

 cultural friends were lamenting the lightness of the hay harvest, 

 and the shortness of the water. 



Many of my readers are familiar with that world within 

 boards the Bath and West of England Show, perhaps the most 

 interesting of all the exhibitions at which I am present during 

 the whole year. The weather being favourable, as this year it 

 was, a visit to the Show was indeed a treat. 



I enter the poultry tent, and the first thing that strikes me is 

 the excellent ventilation. I next see that the birds are supplied 

 with slices of mangold or beet, which they were picking at with 

 relish — relish similar to those nnfeathered birds who not far off 

 ■were drinking lemonade. I must beg leave to remark upon the 

 pleasure it gave me to find Mr. Hewitt had been able to act as 

 Judge. As all of us had sympathised with him in his many 

 trials and sorrows, so all will rejoice to learn that he has been 

 able to rally himself and be at his old post. 



This Show was held on nearly the same spot ten years ago, 

 and I cannot but remark upon the improvement in poultry 

 matters during the decade. Then a few comparatively had good 

 birds, a few ardent amateiirs and mongrels abounded ; now one 

 sees more and better birds than ever, far more persons are inter- 

 ested in poultry ; and where one appreciated a good bird then, 

 or " took in " a poultry paper, now there are dozens. Of course 

 the continued dry and hot weather has told on the fowls, and 

 ragged feathers were to be expected, but, considering the time 

 of year, the condition of the greater part of the poultry exhibited 

 was singularly good. 



Out of the eleven pens of Spanish cocks nine may be said to 

 belong to Bristol (for Brislington and Wriugton are so near), and 

 Bristol birds won. As to the first prize, Mr. Edward Jones's 

 bird, it was altogether admirable in face and comb, and con- 

 dition considering the time of year. In regard to the Spanish 

 hens, about the first prize there was no mauner of doubt ; but 

 a highly commended pen (No. 21, Miss E. Browne's), struck me 

 as being better than the second-prize bird, if indeed there were 

 not two highly commended pens better, but of course it is a 

 matter of opinion. 



As to the Dorking cocks (Coloured), the first-prize birds were 

 massive, the second much inferior. The hens were a better 

 class : out of the eleven pens six were worthy of a prize. The 

 pens of three of the White Dorking cocks were empty; a pity 

 this, but save a hollow comb on one bird, the rest were remark- 

 ably good. In the White Dorking hens the same goodness was 

 to be observed. 



My old friends the Buff Cochins were — well, " not to put too 

 fine a point on it," not much to speak of, and less to write of. 

 I would nearly as soon have bought the unnoticed as the noticed 

 birds, the cup cock excepted. In hens the second-prize did not 

 give satisfaction. The champion pens among the Partridge 

 Cochins were extremely beautiful birds. There was a vast 

 number of empty pens which should have contained White 

 Cochins, and the full ones were not of very remarkable excellence. 



As to the Bralimas, Dark or Light, "the cry is still. They 

 come." I should not like to be the man who takes these big 

 babies out of their travelling baskets ; but as, I think, usually 

 at Bristol, the Dark birds were the best. The great number of 

 these birds now exhibited everywhere is the best proof of their 

 usefulness, for though fancy may keep many small birds, utility 

 there must be where large birds are kept in great numbers. 



The Game fowls were numerous, and, as always, attractive. 

 To my miiul the second Duckwing cock was the best of that lot. 

 In Brown Reds (cocks), Messrs. Lunt & Hassall's, first prize was 

 a-head of all the rest in his class. I must notice that Mr. Stagg, 

 a Wiltshire fancier, was very fairly successful with his birds. 



Next, the Hamburghs, and what an improvement in numbers 

 and in goodness too ! "The first and cup bird (Mr. Beldon's) in 

 the Silver-spangled class, is as charming a little fellow as ever 

 walked. As I passed pen after pen of Hamburghs of the dif- 

 ferent varieties my words were, " Good again," " Good again." 



The Polish were, I am also pleased to write, fairly numerous 

 and very good. Cocks — first to a Silver, second to a Black, one 

 only Golden, he got a commended. Hens — first to a Silver, 

 second to a Black, and only a commendation to a Golden hen. 

 Funny this, that in Polish fowls alone Silver is preferred to 

 Gold ! I was amused to hear a country bumpkin, who possibly 

 had strayed-in from his cattle or pigs, exclaim in front of the 

 Polish pens, with open eyes and mouth, " Oh ! gracious, they 

 heads ! " 



Among the French, the Houdans, the most useful, were the 

 most numerous. These birds look like Spanish fowls before 

 they had become aristocrats. The cocks especially, at Clifton, 

 were very superior. Among the Creves were some very fine 

 birds, but plumage indifferent. 



In the Any other distinct variety class there was an excellent 

 Black Hamburgh first. (Why not more Black Hamburghs, O 

 ye fanciers?); a good Malay second, who looked wicked enough 

 to have committed a dozen murders and enjoyed them all, and 

 to wish to commit still more. High commendations and com- 

 mendations were numerously bestowed in this class, and de- 

 servedly. Some ugly LaFleche cocks appeared, and some ex- 

 cellent Minorcas. 



Then came Bantams. There was but one pen of Silver 

 Sebrights, but then they were real Silver, not pale Gold. I 

 wish the owner could exhibit more, as they would be an orna- 

 ment to any show, although they might not be quite equal to 

 this pen. 'The Blacks, again, were very good, and Mr. Cam- 

 bridge won deservedly. Among the many Game Bantams there 

 were some gamey-looking birds. 



Aylesbury Ducks were good, Rouens better. Turkeys were 

 better still. In Aylesbury Ducks Mr. Fowler was actually 

 beaten— a feather indeed in the winner's cap. 



In approaching the other Bantams I must say I did not con- 

 sider the Game birds were anything to boast of, while among 

 the Blacks were excellent birds; and I scarcely need to say that 

 Mr. Cambridge kept up his old fame. It is now natural to write 

 Cambridge first at the boat race, and Cambridge first at the 



