EXHIBITING FOWLS. 163 



are not above manifesting very obvious ill - will to the 

 exhibits of those who in any way aggrieve them , only now 

 and then is there any virtual proof of real corruption. The 

 vigilance of the poultry press is making these exceptions 

 more and more rare. The breeder should know definitely 

 and authoritatively what he is to seek after. There are 

 certain standards of excellence which are now generally 

 recognised by breeders, and by most judges ; and no 

 individual judge has any right to depart from these with- 

 out, at least, sufficient public notice, or until public 

 discussion in the periodical press devoted to such matters 

 has ratified the change. In the meantime, it is our opinion 

 that exhibiters have decidedly a right to know beforehand 

 who are to judge their birds ; and this is now conceded at 

 all the best shows. To call upon them to send their best 

 stock, in the dark, to a show where, it may be, a judge's 

 known prejudices on certain points give them no chance of 

 a prize, is evidently unfair. 



But we are leaving the fowls, and must return to them, 

 though we have little more to add. Whether they require 

 any special treatment on their return will chiefly depend 

 upon the system of feeding which has been pursued during 

 the period of exhibition. If, as is the case still at some 

 small shows, the easy plan of feeding on whole barley ad 

 libitum has been retained, the birds may be more or less 

 feverish and disturbed, and need a corrective. But such 

 feeding cannot be too strongly condemned. The proper 

 feeding is either barley-meal or oatmeal or biscuit-meal in 

 the morning, mixed rather dry, and given before the public 

 are admitted, with grain only in the evening ; and, in each 

 case, only as much as the fowls will eat at once, without 

 leaving any in the pens. Only these two meals should be 

 given, as the birds have no exercise, and do not require 

 more ; besides which, the natural excitement of the show is 



