December 5, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
439 
In the Variety class first a good large pair of Plymouth Rocks | during a year. 
in fine condition. Second the Buff Polish (Padone Chamois), 
which we thought might well have changed places with the 
winners. They were a handsome pair. Third Ermine Polish 
The cock looked ill, and both were diseased in feet. 1481 (Brooke) 
a pair of imported frizzled fowls—very singular. 
Aylesbury Ducks were fine. First-prize pair weighed 22 Ibs. ; 
second 19 tbs. 12 ozs.; third 18 tbs. In Rouens first-prize pair 
weighed 23 tbs. 10 ozs.; second 22 tbs. 6 ozs. ; third 21 Ibs. 2 ozs, 
The Mandarins, Carolinas, Kasarkas, and other fancy Ducks, 
although not numerous, were very handsome and interesting 
classes. 
Geese were splendid classes, particularly the Coloured. The first 
White Geese weighed 43 Ibs. 10 ozs. Second, 42 Ibs. 12 ozs. In 
Grey and Mottled, first, 49 Ibs. Second, 46 Ibs. 4 ozs. Third, 
45 Ibs. 2 ozs. 
Turkey cock.—First, 37 tbs, 2 ozs. Second, 34 ths. 120zs. Third, 
33 tbs. 10 ozs. In young cocks.—First, 25 lbs. 10 ozs. Second, 
25 Ibs. 6 ozs. Third, 23 lbs. 12 ozs. In hens the weights were 
respectively 43 Ibs., 45 Ibs. 14 ozs., and 35 lbs. ; and in young ditto, 
388 Ibs. 8 ozs., 33 Ibs. 4 ozs., and 31 Ibs. 12 ozs. 
Notes on the remaining classes had not arrived on our going to 
press. The prize list will be found in our advertising columns. 
JupeEs.—Poultry : Mr. J. Baily, Mount Street, Grosvenor 
Square, London; Mr. J. Dixon, North Park, Clayton, Bradford ; 
Mr. E. Hewitt, Hden Cottage, Sparkbrook, Birmingham; Mr. W. 
R. Lane, New Street, Birmingham ; Mr. J. H. Smith, Skelton, 
York; Mr. R. Teebay, Fulwood, Preston. Pigeons: Myr. T. J. 
Charlton, Blenheim Road, Manningham, Bradford ; Mr. F. Esqui- 
lant, 4, Effra Road, Brixton, London; Mr. H. Child, 71, Long 
Street, Sparkbrook, Birmingham. 
WEST KENT POULTRY SHOW. 
Tue first Show was held at the Public Hall, Bexley Heath, on 
Wednesday last and following day. The classes were well filled, 
and the Secretary, although new to the work, was quite equal to 
the occasion. On the Committee we notice the names of Rey. A. 
Kitchen and some other noted exhibitors, who have doubtless 
helped considerably to promote the success of the undertaking. 
The visitors on the first day were very few, in fact only a fancier 
could be induced to face the torrent of rain that fell without in- 
termission throughout the day. 
The winning Coloured Dorkings were a fine pen and well 
selected. Cochins eleven entries, all good ; one pen (Wright) dis- 
qualified for a cut comb. Brahmas.—The Dairy Show cockerel 
was first, matched with a Mealy pencilled pullet ; second a fine 
cock, hen not so good in colour. Lights not equal to Darks. 
Spanish only three entries ; second prize withheld. /rench mode- 
rate. Game and Hamburgh classes well supported. Leghorns were 
capital classes. Andalusians well represented (a very dark pen), 
cock with a good comb winning. Polands we thought the best 
in the Show, Mr. Burrell winning with a magnificent pen. Sultans 
few, but good. Bantam (Game) classes poor, Any variety above 
the average. Ducks deserve special notice, notably the Pekins, 
Mr. Fowler was first and second with grand pens, but we thought 
Mr. Kitchen’s pens equal to them ; but they were out of condition, 
and not judiciously matched. The drake of pen 102 should have 
been shown with the Duck of 103, and vice versd. 
The Pigeon classes were largely filled, but very inferior to the 
poultry in quality. 
Four classes of Rabbits completed an excellent Show, which will 
doubtless assume in time much larger proportions. 
Mr. Nichols was the Judge. 
HINTS FOR YOUNG AMATEURS.—No. 6. 
DRAGOONS. 
THE Dragoon is a bird exactly suited to a young amateur 
whether he be young in years or in the fancy. I knew a school- 
boy who grew, as he considered, too big for Rabbits change them— 
such a number of them too—for his first pair of Pigeons, and they 
were Dragoons—an advance as he thought, and that forthwith he 
»vyould be admitted, as indeed he was, to be a pleased and proud 
yisitor of Pigeon lofts. Fanciers, on the strength of the youthful 
one being now a fancier, would let him see their birds, he looking 
on awed the while, he learning the names of the birds—learning 
to know them in the nest as well as when adult. 
T have said that the Dragoon is suited to a young amateur, but 
why? First, he is a bird that is perfectly independent ; he is as 
easily managed as a common Pigeon. No nurses needed for 
Dragoons, for they breed regularly and are model parents. They 
nurse tenderly the young of other Pigeons, therefore trouble in 
this way they give none. It is heart-rending for a young fancier 
to begin, say, with Shortfaces—Short-faced Tumblers—and, know- 
ing nothing of their habits, to find pair after pair of young birds 
left by their heartless parents to starve, while they are cooing, 
and flirting, and billing utterly unconcerned. But nothing of 
this happens if Dragoons be adopted as the pets; nine, ten, or 
eyen eleven pens of young birds are sure to be brought up sately 
Then they, as the Scotch say, “can feud for 
themselves.” Woe be to the Pigeon that ventures to attack, or 
disturb, or rob them of nest or food. They carry “a dagger of a 
bill,” and that bill soon goes dagger-like straight into the inter- 
ferer’s skin, and he gladly gets away, having caught a Tartar 
with a vengeance. All the shorter-billed birds are beaten off 
without a chance of retaliation. Another thing as regards 
Dragoons: They are safe birds to keep. See that remarkably 
fine but very helpless Pouter blowing away and strutting away 
after some little Miss Tumbler, who, I grieve to say, likes the big 
fellow’s attention. This is going on on the ground in the sun- 
shine, when lo! a strange cat—yellow-eyed, black, diabolical- 
looking—sees his opportunity, and remembers, smacking his 
wicked lips, how very nice that last Pigeon was. Soft, velvet 
footsteps that cause no noise steal behind that naughtily happy 
Pouter cock (far too engaged with the flirtation on hand to think 
of danger), when pounce comes the miniature tiger, the inflated 
crop in a moment is windless and the fine bird dead. While if 
the master rushes up he may be in time to rescue the body, but 
it is a “body,” not a living bird. You might catch a weasel 
asleep or catch a Yorkshireman with both his eyes shut, but you 
can’t catcha Dragoon, He has, it is true, a wattle round his eyes 
but not so protruding as to hinder his seeing behind him, as in 
the case of a high-class Carrier or Barb. A poor dear little 
Fantail if very high bred is a helpless bunch of feathers, and you 
may pick them up easily enough—only walk behind them—for they 
cannot see further than their tail, and being very small-brained 
little dears they appear, figuratively speaking, not to be able to 
see beyond their nose. If on a chimney they are sure to be 
blown down it; but no one, I fancy, ever had a Dragoon blown 
down his chimney. Being among the more naturally bred fancy 
Pigeons Dragoons are very healthy. Give them clean water and 
decent food—they are not particular what—and they will live 
and be prolific for years and years. I had an old Grizzle hen 
which came to me an aged bird, and her former master bought 
her as an aged bird, but year after year and almost month after 
month she had eggs and young. 
To say that a true-bred Dragoon is very perfect in symmetry is 
only stating what all know. They always remind me somehow 
of Game pullets—not cocks, and very game—very pugnacious 
(their only fault) are some of them. In truth their form is sym- 
metry itself: narrow head and neck, broad shoulders, triangular 
breast, pointed wings, narrow tail; and this form mounted upon 
sinewy legs, long, but not so long as to look like stilts. 
Next, their flight, or mode of flying. They are the very oppo- 
site flyers to Tumblers. Tumblers mount high and circle, Dra- 
goons go straight out and not very high; they go off, too,in a 
pack, as on a message, j 
T used to watch with much interest a near neighbour's Pigeons, 
He kept upwards of a hundred, and all at liberty. They were of 
many varieties, his great object being to get as many sorts as 
possible for the pleasure of seeing a variously-coloured and 
variously-made group of birds feed at his feet. Well, among this 
multitude were a number of Dragoons. About three o’clock of a 
winter’s afternoon, if in summer later, the Dragoons as true ag 
the clock would suddenly look at each other as much as to say 
“Now, boys, are you ready ?” and away in a pack straight on end 
as fanciers say, would they fly, going some miles in the same 
direction, not flying high like Tumblers but at safe distance from 
gun shot. Then they returned and went in to bed. They had 
been fed just before, so their motto was, “ After supper fly a few 
miles.” I used to watch their return, and think that never did 
their plumage look so tight or their form so elegant, so like Game 
hens, as when they alighted after their fly. I would next say a 
word on their homing powers. Until Antwerps came into fashion 
some twenty years ago or more, Dragoons were the only homing 
Pigeons used in England ; and though I will not say they will fly 
from Rome to Belgium as Antwerps have done, yet what English- 
man, as a rule, wants birds of such extraordinary powers? He 
has simply no use for such. The Dragoon will do for all reason- 
able and likely distances well enough, and for business purposes 
though not for cruel races. And then look at their beauty. The 
Antwerps have no more beauty than doyehouse Pigeons, while 
there is no handsomer Pigeon living than a Dragoon, as I thought 
when walking past the long rows of them at the recent Crystal 
Palace Show. 
This brings me naturally enough to speak of their colours, 
First stand the Blues, for this seems to show their form off best— 
the clear blue and black bars, and they are as a rule the best 
birds. But hard pressing the Blues come the Silvers, a kind of 
drab, but in the best bred birds very pearly and chaste. They 
are of two kinds : Silvers with brown bars, a variety of very great 
beauty, which I verily believe would have died out but for the 
perseverance of Mr. Bishop of Dorchester; and Silvers with black 
bars, or usually blackish bars, difficult to breed quite black, and 
therefore valued by fanciers ; but in truth the brown bars harmonise 
most properly with the silver plumage. Artistically speaking 
the black bar is a mistake. Red and Yellow follow; fine colours 
but not equal for Dragoons to Blue and Silver. Form suffers 
from these colows, Also the blue or ash colour is yery apt to 
