CORTACHY TO PERTH. 259 



to becoming bumble-footed with years. Old Jack is 

 spending a gouty but a nappy old age, and has re- 

 tired with three hens nearly as old as himself, who 

 have had unlimited ale and beef in their time. 

 Annie of course embraces this very Abraham of 

 Dorkings, and assigns " hundreds of chickens off him" 

 as her reason for the act. The gold medal at Paris 

 was one of his trophies, and he has paid so many 

 visits to the Crystal Palace and other shows, that at 

 last he learnt to love this vagrant sort of life, and still 

 comes solemnly to the side of the show-baskets when 

 Annie and her staff are packing up his juniors. 

 The silver-grey Dorking, " England" is the paradox 

 of the place, as he never crossed the Border in his 

 life. The topknots of the Buff Poles fairly drown 

 them j and among a lot of good white Cochins, there 

 is one with a vulture hock, which is condemned, as 

 Mrs. Blair is very rigid in her observance of poultry 

 rules, albeit some judges will pass it. I 



The pencilled and white Bramahs, a combination 

 of her own breed with Priest and Tebay, seem 

 more after her heart, with their black necklaces, 

 broad, black or spotted breasts, and their fine, dig- 

 nified carriage, on those short and well-feathered 

 legs. They are excellent mothers, and it was quite 

 the treat of the day to see their salmon-pink eggs 

 handed into Mrs. Blair's basket, which reminded 

 us of Pache Egg Monday, with its store of every hue. 

 The Birmingham first-prize Creve-Coeurs were strut- 

 ting gallantly about, as if they heard the words of 



s 2 



