FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



217 



In Partridge cocks the first-prize bird was a grand fellow ; 

 but taking the Partridges as a whole, they did not appear as 

 good as they were years ago. White Cochins were numer- 

 ous, and good birds were to be found in all the classes. 



The Black Cochins were stilty, and poor in quality. We 

 are glad to see that some spirited fanciers have taken them 

 in hand ; there is room in this pretty variety for improve- 

 ment. 



Dark Brahmas mustered very strongly. The adult cocks, 

 from their variable condition (many being just recovering 

 from moult) must have tried the judges, and we shall not be 

 surprised if their positions are changed in a few weeks. The 

 class contained many splendid birds. The Dark Brahma hens 

 were a wonderful class ; perhaps never before was so grand a 

 lot of hens exhibited at any show. The dark cockerels were 

 numerous, and the class contained many splendid birds. 

 The dark pullets mustered 104 entries, and were one of the 

 best classes of Brahma pullets ever seen. The prize and 

 commended birds were remarkably close in quality, taking 

 all points, but the first and second prize pullets were by far 

 the most beautiful in penciling. Light Brahmas were ex- 

 cellent. The beautiful pullets shown by Mrs. Prank 

 Cheshire, were the admiration of all. The cup cockerel 

 exhibited by Mr. Haines, was also a most beautiful bird. 

 The first-prize hen, belonging to Mr. Maynard, and also the 

 second-prize hen, belonging to Mr. Crook, were wonderfully 

 perfect. The race betwixt these two Dens was the most close 

 in the whole show. The Light Brahmas have certainly 

 made the greatest advance in quality of any breed during 

 the year. 



The Spanish classes were not as good as we have seen. 

 Prench fowls were numerous in all the classes. Both Creve- 

 cceurs and Houdans were good, especially the chickens of 

 the latter. 



Ham burgs were all good classes. The Golden-Spangled 

 hens were perhaps the most beautiful. The Golden-Pen- 

 ciled hens were also excellent. 



Bantams were very numerous. The Game Bantams were 

 many of them out of condition, but all the classes except 

 the Wheatan were good. In large game the Black Beds 

 appear to be losing ground in quality, many of the cocks 

 being very muddy in color, and with brown muddy eyes, 

 instead of the beautiful' red eyes of the old kind. Black 

 Beds are now very common, in both the cockerels and pul- 

 lets. 



In Ducklings the best bird was the cup cock — he is a great 

 beauty. Both Aylesbury and Rouen were good, the cup 

 going to a splendid pair of Rouen. Pancy duck were a 

 beautiful lot, and the East Indian also came out strong. 



It would be a hopeless task to attempt an enumeration of 

 all the excellences displayed by the grand collection of 

 pigeons which were collected together at the Crystal Palace 

 during the past week. We will therefore direct the atten- 

 tion of our readers to some of the most striking features of 

 this truly great show. Commencing with Pouters, which 

 head the list, it may be safely said, that a better lot of birds 

 were never seen together in London ; and it is quite proba- 

 ble that this arose from the fact of the announcement by 

 the committee of the names of two most eminent Pouter 

 fanciers as judges, and quite bears out our idea of the advi- 

 sability of publishing the names of the judges in all cases. 



Blue Pied cocks head the list, Mr Hill's first prize bird 

 being excellent in every respect, Messrs. Baker's, Fulton's, 

 and Gresham's, were also well worthy their positions. In 



Black Pied cocks, Mr. Pratt won first and cup with a grand 

 bird, though rather failing in color. In red or yellow Pieds 

 Mr. Rose came to the fore with a bird which worthily sus- 

 tained the reputation of this gentleman's stud. White 

 cocks were a grand lot, and must have given the judges 

 much trouble. Mr. Gresham took first, and the class was 

 described by the judges as "extra good." Cocks bred in 

 1873 gave great promise of future excellence, and many of 

 them, we believe, will be heard of again. The hen classes 

 were filled, Messrs. Gresham, Stuart, and Fulton, dividing 

 the honors in old birds ; but in young hens Mr Gresham 

 swept the board with three magnificent specimens, and the 

 judges described it as an extraordinary class. 



Carriers are always shown very numerously at the Crystal 

 Palace, and the numbers and quality on the present occasion 

 we believe to be far in advance of any previous year. Mr. 

 Siddons' first prize old black, and Mr. Montgomery's "cup " 

 dun, were excellent specimens ; the latter bird, which is well 

 known to most carrier fanciers, being shown in superb con- 

 dition. Mr. Pulton had some grand birds in both classes, 

 but some of them we thought exhibited symptoms of being 

 over-shown. Young blacks numbered no less than fifty-two 

 birds, from the best lofts in the kingdom, and we were glad 

 to see one or two new exhibitors taking good positions. Mr. 

 Massey took first, closely pressed by Mr. Heritage's bird, 

 while no less than six birds were very highly commended. 

 The cup for best young Carriers, however, went to the win- 

 ner in the next class, viz.: for duns, in which Mr. Fulton 

 took first and second prizes. Judging from the number of 

 birds exhibited, it would appear that Dragons are the fashion- 

 able birds at the present time among London fanciers ; the 

 winning silvers shown by Messrs. F. Graham and Bishop 

 were indeed good specimens, but the awards in the blues 

 were not so satisfactory, the best birds being amongst the 

 highly commended ; the superb and brilliantly colored yel- 

 lows of Mr. S. C. Betty took all the prizes in the class with 

 birds which we believe have never been equalled. Mr. 

 Graham's highly commended birds in this class were also 

 deserving especial notice. 



The class for Almond Tumbler cocks was described by the 

 judge as the "best collection he had ever seen;" and cer- 

 tainly the form and carriage, perfection of ground color and 

 markings in Mr. Hallam's cup and second-prize birds were 

 enough to excite the envy of any fancier. In the second 

 for Tumbler cocks, any other variety, we thought Mr. H. 

 Adams' third prize red superior to the first prize. 



Barbs mustered better than we have seen them for a year 

 or two past, and, owing to the fact that birds had to be in 

 the Palace on Saturday, and that no exhibitor or attendant 

 was allowed in the Palace until after the judging on Monday, 

 the majority of the birds were sound and clear in eye and 

 wattle, and did not present the offensive appearance we have 

 been accustomed to see. Mr. Firth's cup black cock, Mr. 

 Fulton's red cock, and the first-prize hen of Mr. Mont- 

 gomery left little to be desired. The class for young Barbs 

 of 1873 was a good one, and had twenty-five entries, of all 

 colors. Mr. P. H. Jones took first and fourth with a black 

 cock and good-colored red hen, Mr. J. Firth and Major 

 Cryer taking second and third, while a large number of birds 

 were highly commended, and we thought among these were 

 some which should have taken a better position. We must 

 also say we did not quite agree with the awards in class for 

 red or yellow Jacobins ; we thought that more than one of 

 either Capt. Heaton's or Mr. Fulton's birds were superior 



