1 66 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



take birds from their pens, and to weigh them if required. Judges can of course take out fowls for 

 themselves; but the withdrawal of a lot of Game fowls is arm-aching work, which may just as 

 well be saved, leaving only the actual handling of the birds to the gentlemen who have to decide 

 upon them. It is better and gives more satisfaction if such assistants ilTQ paid men who can handle 

 fowls, and if no members of the committee, unless non-exhibitors, and especially no poultry- 

 men or other interested parties, are allowed in the hall with the judges at all. We have already 

 said we think there is little real danger of corruption; but "people will talk," and a judge, like 

 Cesar's wife, should be above even suspicion. Refreshment of some sort will generally be neces- 

 sary before the work is over, and we would remark emphatically that it is far better to allow 

 half-an-hour's rest than to partake of it " anyhow"— a little real repose in a chair will do wonders, 

 and the time is by no means lost even as regards the closing of the task. 



For the following remarks on judging we are indebted to one of the most experienced and 

 valued judges in England, Mr. Richard Tecbay : — 



" With regard to judging poultry, it is a very great mistake for more than two judges to go 

 together. With two judges, by far the best plan is for one to begin at the beginning of the 

 class, and the othe? at the end, marking their books as they go through the class, and then 

 compare the books, which will (if both are experienced judges) be often marked so much alike 

 as to settle the prizes without further examination of the birds ; though they may in strong 

 classes have to look over them again to settle the highly-commended and commended pens. 

 It generally happens that where there are four prizes in a class the fourth prize will give the judges 

 more trouble to decide on than the other three ; in fact, the third and fourth prizes take very far 

 more— at least double the time in awarding them that the first or second prizes do. 



" With regard to the time generally allotted for judging at poultry exhibitions, if the rules 

 were strictly adhered to as to the time the birds are to be ready for the judges, and the judges' 

 books are properly made out in time, the time for judging would generally be amply sufficient ; 

 but at nearly every English show, where birds are allowed to be taken in in the morning, at least 

 two hours is generally taken up from the time the judges were to begin. Then again, at more 

 than half the English shows the judges' books are either not finished or in some other way 

 delayed, so that more time is again lost : in either of the above cases the judges waiting, perhaps 

 in no pleasant humour, to begin. It is remarkable that delays from either of the above causes 

 very rarely occur in Scotland. 



" It may be said that judges have a great deal larger number of pens to go through than 

 formerly ; but, on the other hand, there is a great difference betwixt judging single birds or pairs 

 of hens, than what it used to be when a pen consisted of a cock and two hens, which at many 

 shows used to be put into such miserably small pens that the judge had to turn every bird about 

 in the pen before he could see those behind. 



" The pattern known as the 'Field Judging-books' are a great boon to judges, and secretaries 

 also : the plan was first tried at Whitehaven, but the books on that occasion were far too wide, 

 large, and cumbersome. The plan saves the judge's voice (where cocks are crowing you cannot 

 speak in your ordinary voice) and time in giving in his awards. I cannot for the life of me see 

 why secretaries cannot have the judges' books ready in time ; but they appear to be the very 

 last things often thought of, while they might be made out as soon as the entries close." 



Generally speaking, there are not enough judges. We have gradually acquired the conviction 

 that no one can properly judge more than from 400 to 500 pens in one day, according to the 



