88



could not say of the winner. I have never been able to under¬

stand old scaly-legged Thrushes beating young clean-legged

birds, other things, except mere size, being equal; nor should fat

dumpy Thrushes be preferred to the slim and reacts sort, all too

seldom seen on the show bench. I have often compared the one

to a cart horse and the other to a thoroughbred, and I do not con¬

sider the simile too far fetched. The third prize went to an

erstwhile inmate of my own bird-room, whose show days I con¬

sidered over when I presented him to his present owner nearly

twelve months ago. No. 1,585 (V.H.C.) was a very light and

stylish bird, and was certainly better marked than 1,586, which

took fourth prize. The owner of 1,571 evidently wished it to be

understood that sopped bread and crushed hemp seed was an

ideal food for Thrushes, for he expressly stipulated that his

bird was to be so fed, poor bird.


Class 94 was the Starlings, not the least interesting of

which was Mr. Fulljames’ well-known bird, which had a word

for any visitor who cared to speak to it. What he said I am

unable to record, but he appeared to mean well. Mere intelligence,

however, does not win honours at the Palace, and this loquacious

bird had to be content with third prize. The old adage that fine

feathers do not make fine birds does not hold good at bird shows,

however, and 1,595 and 1,592, the first and second prizes,

deserved their respective positions, 1,595 being a beautifully

lustrous specimen.


The winner of the first prize in the next class was the

well-known Magpie “ Victor” (1,604). This bird was in superb

condition and clearly deserved first honours. I11 awarding the

other prizes, however, the judge seems to have felt it desirable to

give a prize to one of each sort in the class, accordingly he gave

second to a Jay (1,606) with a bad wing and a fraj^ed tail; and

third to a Jackdaw (1,598) in by no means good feather. There

were other birds in this class which for condition alone beat it

by many points, notably 1,600, a Magpie, which, had it not been

shown in a wicker cage, must have commanded higher honour

than the V.H.C. awarded to it.


The Missel Thrushes in Class 99 were very good specimens,

especial^ 1,663, which was a very steady bird in grand condition

and nicely marked; why it should have been called upon to play

second fiddle to the Raven (1,672), which, by the way, had a deformed

claw, is a matter for conjecture; and I must say a good word

for 1,664, a well-marked cage-moulted Fieldfare, which deserved

a card, but was unnoticed.



