l62 



The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



all consist of meal dough, corn being, as we have said before, quite unfit for birds going a journey. 

 Tacking will then proceed as quickly as possible, the most convenient means of fastening down the 

 hamper covers being either a long packing-needle and good string, or straight pieces of annealed soft 

 iron or copper wire, about ten inches long, which are easily passed through basket and cover, and 

 then fastened by twisting the ends together. 



Poultry-men are always anxious to get away with their birds the same night the show closes. 

 This is often very unnecessarily objected to by committees, as a little management will generally 

 allow of it without either danger or difficulty, while too elaborate a "system" will make it 

 impossible. A cheque-book should be prepared, as simple as possible, something like the 

 following : — 



No. 23. Jan. 22, 1872. (fifS] No. 23, 



Mr. 



Address, 

 Pens, 



Jan. 22, 1S72. 



Allow Bearer to pass with Pens No 



(Sis'ied) 



Secretary. 



Then supposing the show closes at nine o'clock ; from eight to nine those wishing to leave 

 slioLild obtain their forms duly filled up and signed. Sales rarely take place so late, and the 

 counterfoil will enable any that may be effected to be " stopped" at the door. The catalogue will 

 have at the end an index of all names, with list of all the pens entered by each exhibitor ; and by 

 referring to the sales catalogue to see if any of these have been sold, and adding at pleasure any 

 pens bought (many secretaries insist on sending all " sold" pens by rail), each form is quickly com- 

 pleted. Then the first half-hour or hour may be devoted to getting these orders packed in regular 

 rotation by the packers", and afterwards handed to the owner's representative ; the packer calling out 

 the number of the pass, when the man to whom it belongs will claim it and his hampers, and no 

 other baskets being sent out of the hall till all the men who mean to take their birds with them 

 have been dismissed. The door-keeper will see that no man takes out more than the pens on his 

 order, and in this way all necessary objects are accomplished with little trouble to any one concerned 

 To allow any persons to pack their own birds, however, is not wise ; as several instances have 

 been known to occur of individuals packing birds noi their own, the most distant risk of which 

 should be avoided. 



The remaining birds will then be packed and dispatched as speedily as possible, any which 

 may unfortunately die during exhibition being returned for the inspection and satisfaction of 

 the owners. Care and method are again needed to avoid mistakes, which are a disgrace and future 

 injury to any exhibition where they occur. Should death or loss occur through proved neglect 

 of a railway company, recent decisions have established that the company is liable, notwithstanding 

 any printed annoimcenicnt that they decline such responsibility, unless the sender has signed a 

 document exempting them from such liability. For instance, so lately as July, 1872, a Mr. Yardley 

 sued the London and North-Western Railway Company for £\o, the catalogue value of a pair 

 of pigeons on their line. The Company pleaded that by a printed regulation they declined 

 responsibility beyond a few shillings value, unkss such value were declared and insurance paid 



