November 2, 1876 ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



395 



many Bay the third Black Reds were the best pair of Bantams 

 ia the Show, but the light was poor, and the Judge had much 

 difficulty in making his awards. Blacks were beautifol, pen 

 after pen of great excellence; the cup pair fine in head and 

 shape, and also were the second and third. Sebrights were poor. 

 Shade of Sir John, come and stir fanciers up ! The first went 

 to Silvers, second to Golds, both of course Mr. Leno's. In the 

 Variety class a pair of Pekins were first the cock in good feather, 

 but the hen the reverse ; second neat White Rose-combs ; and 

 third very good Black-booted. They were a shade too large, 

 but very lustrous and bright. 



Wateifowl. — All these classes were good. Aylesburys and 

 Rouens were of rare excellence. "We heard that ^£20 had been 

 refased by the owner for the second Rouen drake. He is a 

 grand bird, and was, we believe, the cup bird at Malmesbnry. 

 In Blaoks we liked the awards. It is amusing to see how the 

 different birds get different places. Some liked Mr. Burn's the 

 best, but we thought a3 a pair the cup pen were the right birds. 

 Second were very gooci, and so were three or four more pens ; 

 bnt the quality was so good throughout that it made the judging 

 a difficult work. The next class was simply exquisite, pen after 

 pen of wonderful excellence, and nearly all conceivable varieties 

 being present. Mandarins were first, and we much regret to 

 say one died during the Show; Carolinas took second, shown in 

 faultless feather; and third went to Bahsnus. Theso have 

 different coloured heads in the different sexes, which reminds 

 us of the Raff and the Reeve which we saw at Portsmouth. An 

 extra prize or two might well have been given here. 



A pretty collection of Pheasants finished this department, 

 where Golds were firBt, Whites in bad feather second, and 

 Swinhoe third. We were pleased to see the Show so well at- 

 tended, and we hope the balance will be a good one on the right 

 side. We Bee the dates for 1877 are published in the catalogue, 

 so if others clash with this important Exhibition it will be their 

 own fault. — W. 



PIGEONS. 



With possibly one exception there has never, we believe, bean 

 gathered together a finer collection of Pigeons than were in the 

 Oxford Town Hall. The greatest care and attention were be- 

 Etowed on them, and the building is so well suited to the pur- 

 pose that no wonder exhibitors trusted the choicest of their 

 studs. It was a charming sight on passing down far-stretching 

 classes to see scarcely a single bad bird. Bat we must proceed 

 to particulars. 



- Carriers, Blue or Silver Cocks (twelve entries). — First was a 

 ■grand Blue all round, beak-wattle capital, and eye-wattle high 

 and good. Second another Blue, fine in form but with wattle 

 not iully developed. Third a Bine with a good box beak. Hens 

 (ten entries). — The winners all Bine and good. Mr. Bentley 

 showed a bird which in most respects was the flower of the class, 

 but she was not in trim, and carried one wing loosely. Any 

 other colour cocks (seventeen entries). — First, Mr. Baker's now 

 famous winner. He certainly is a grand bird, but as Mr. Fulton 

 says in his book, a perfect Carrier has scarcely been seen, and 

 so this bird has his drawbacks — he looks a little short and has an 

 overlapping beak. Second Mr. Baker's old Black ; he was un- 

 fortunately too lame to stand up and do himself justice. Third 

 another Black with good wattle, but showing too much space 

 between the beak and eye-wattle. Hens (sixteen entries). — The 

 winners were all Duns. We did not think much of the class as 

 & whole. Blue or Silver, hatched in 1876 (nine entries) — The 

 winners were all Blue. We feared there W6re several old birds 

 in this clasB. Any other colour (thirty-two entries). — To this 

 ■class the Judges appended a general commendation, " An ex- 

 traordinary good class." The winners were all Black and 

 seemed well placed. First was in all ways a wonderful young 

 bird. 



Bouters, White Cocks (seventeen entries). — The first com- 

 bined immense length with slimne6s. Second had a fine crop, 

 but looked to us a little thick in body. Hens (ten entries). — We 

 liked all the winners, Mrs. Ladd's third-prize one perhaps best 

 of the three. We also thought h6r unnoticed hen a beautiful 

 bird for its great elegance of form. Any other colour Cocks 

 (seventeen entries). — The first-prize bird in this class took the 

 ■cnp for the best Pouter. He is a Blue and very young. Great 

 •exception was taken to the award, but we muBt say we did not 

 think it a bad one ; he is a most symmetrical bird, very small 

 in girth, and of exquisite colour. Second and third were Blacks. 

 We should have reversed their order, for Mr. Pratt's is a grand 

 bird. Hens (fifteen entries). — First a good Blue; second a 

 Yellow very long in limb ; third a Red. We much admired 

 Mr. Baker's Black. 



Barbs (fourteen entries). — We were glad to see Mr. Hedley 

 again showing in this class, and, as of old, carrying first honours 

 with a grand Black. Second a magnificent Yellow and small 

 too, a hen ws believe. Third a Red with somewhat unhealthy 

 ■eye- wattle. Barbs of 1876 (nine entries). — Mr. Hedley first again 

 with a very promising Red. Second a good Black, though far 

 behind the first. Third another good Black. 



Tumblers, Almond. — First and 6econd capital birds, the former 



the richest in colour. Hatched iu 1876 (eleven entries). — It is 

 very interesting to Bee this class before they have "broken." 

 All three prizes went to one exhibitor; his three birds were, we 

 thought, very even in merit. Short-faced, any other Variety. — 

 First a Black Kite, second a Red, third an Agate. Balds or 

 Beards, not Short-faced (thirteen entries). — First a capital Red 

 Beard much smaller in head than one often Bees Long-faced 

 Tumblers ; second a Black Bald ; third a Silver Bald. Any 

 other Variety (fifteen entries). — First a Yellow Mottle ; second a 

 Silver-muffed; third a Black Mottle. 



Dragoons were the great feature of the Show, though we 

 do object to such undue prominence being given to the breed, 

 which had eighteen classes, while the beautiful old-fashioned 

 Jacobin had but one ! Sic transit gloria mundi ! Many of the 

 less popular colours in Dragoons had miserably-filled classes. 

 Blue Cocks (thirty-six entries). — The first cup went to No. 1 in 

 this class, a very big bird with a good V-shaped head. Second 

 and third both capital birds, even in colour. Wo prefer not to 

 Bee wattle under the beak which the second had. 1310 (Shutler) 

 was a good true Dragoon, defective alone in bar. 1305 (Leach) 

 very highly commended, good, but inferior in colour to the laBt- 

 mentioned bird. Silver Cocks, "Black-bars (six entries). — Why 

 not distinguish between this and the next class by calling them 

 respectively "Blue Silvers" and "Brown Silvers ?" The no- 

 menclature would be much more correct. First a splendid bird, 

 though his bars were not what we call black. Second also good 

 with less wattle. Third heavy in wattle and Carrier-like. Silver 

 Cocks, Brown-bars (nine entries). — Mr. Bishop's birds were here 

 far ahead. First a very good bird ; second heavier in wattle. 

 Red or Yellow Cocks (eleven entries). — First a Yellow splendid 

 in colour, ." London Fancy;" second a very dark Red; third a 

 Red, it3 Btyle we much liked. White Cocks (seventeen en- 

 tries) — First a beautiful bird, good in shape, of medium size, 

 broad in skull, and with eye-wattles singularly perfect all round. 

 Second not quite bo good. Third like the first but coarser in 

 head. Any other colour Cocks (ten entries) — First a fine Grizzle, 

 London type; second and third Blue Chequers. Blue Hens 

 (twenty entries). — First a magnificent bird all round, shown by 

 a local exhibitor. Second the type of Dragoon we like. Third 

 rather long in beak ; Bhe was so fine in head as to make up for her 

 light rump. Silver Hens, Black bars (twelve entries). — First 

 and second in splendid condition. Silvers, Brown-bars (eight 

 entries). — First rather heavy in wattle ; second a good Dragoon ; 

 third good in head. Red or Yellow Hens (nine entries). — First 

 a somewhat large Yellow, excellent in colour. Second another 

 Yellow not quite so bright. Third a capital Red. White Hens 

 (sixteen entries). — All three winners capital birds with little to 

 choose between them. Any other colour Hens (five entries). — 

 First-and-cup a fine Blue Chequer. Second and third Grizzles. 

 Blue of 1876 (thirty-seven entries).— A wonderful class. The 

 cup bird wa3 at once bright and deep in colour. The youDg 

 birds had six classes, the colours being classified as in the aduls 

 classes. Time failed us to look at every bird. We obBerved 

 that the second-prize Yellow (Hon. W. Sugden) waB claimed for 

 fine guineas. 



Antioerps, Short-faced (twenty-three entries).— First a good 

 Rsd Chequer. Second a Silver Dan very rich in neck colour. 

 Third a Red Chequer. 1522 (Bradley), highly commended, was, 

 we heard, the Alexandra Palace winner of last year, now not in 

 good condition. Long-faced and Homing Antwerps also had 

 classes, and numbered close on one hundred entrieB. 



Bunts (fourtsen entries). — A fine class. First a huge and well- 

 known Blue. Second and third Silvers. 



Owls, English (twenty-three entries). — Apparently the foreign 

 and English varieties of Owls are getting much intermixed, for 

 the English are becoming smaller, the foreign are larger. The 

 winners ia this class were all Blues, very even iu quality. 

 Foreign O.vls (eleven entries). — First-and-cup a White, not very 

 Bmall. Second another White, smaller. Third a pretty little 

 Blue. 



Nuns (eighteen entries). — All the winners Black. The class 

 was singularly good, if there had been no trimming. 



Turbits, Blue or Silver (fifteen entries).— First a Silver gene- 

 rally good, but defective in gullet. Second a little Bine, rather 

 dull in colour. Third brighter in colour. Any other Colour 

 (twenty-five entries).— First a remarkable bird, its great merit 

 head properties, its defect want of colour. Second a Black, 

 capital in colour. Third an indifferent Yellow. Some well- 

 known birdB in this class were not noticed. 



Fantails (twenty-two entries). — A fine class. Everyone 

 seemed astonished at the first award. There were at least six 

 better birds. Second and third very good. Several capital 

 birds were highly commended. 



Jacobins (seventeen entries). — A poor class as a whole. This 

 comeB of all colours being crowded into one olass. First and 

 second were good Reds, third a pretty white. 



Magpies had two classes, numbering fifty between them. 

 First and second (Blacks) were admirable birds. The cap went 

 to a superb little Yellow. 



Variety class (thirty-three entries) must have given the JndgeB 



