426 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ November 30, 1871. 



sixth, better, but the last two might in onr judgment have been 

 advantageously displaced by at least a dozen ; still, our remark above 

 must be kept in view. 



Darh hens were pretty good, but to our mind quite wrongly placed ; 

 the first-prize Palace hens being here second, while they should, we 

 think, have had their old place. We should also have placed the 

 third second, and given the first third. 



Darh pullets were another enormous entiy of seventy-four pens. 

 The Crystal Palace second-prize pen, much improved in condition, was 

 here first, while the Palace cup pen was fourth. The second we did 

 not much lite, and think the fourth pen should have had that position. 

 The third contained one of the Palace third birds, and another far 

 inferior. Fifth, fair and no more, not quite so good as sixth in our 

 opinion. There were numerous other good pairs, but the " highly com- 

 mendeds," we confess, we could often not understand ; but here, again, 

 allowance must be made for the number of the class. 



The first-prize Light coch was the same which won as a cockerel last 

 year, small, but beautiful shape, hackle, and feather. Second, very 

 large, fairly feathered, saddle well striped, but hackle too pale. Third 

 lightly feathered, bat good shape and very darkly marked. In 

 cocherels-, the first-prize was very large, fine shape and leg feather, 

 saddle white, hackle poor. Second-prize darkest hackle in the class, 

 saddle white, and leg feather moderate, but wings not sound and some 

 Salack in them. The third prize went to a cockerel of very fine shape, 

 also good in feather and colour, all but a little black on the wing. 

 This was the heaviest-feathered bird in the class. The fourth- prize 

 bird was also well feathered, hackle shady, saddle moderately wide. 

 Pen 797 was one of the very best in the class, but shown very dirty ; 

 and the saddle was, while wide in front, narrow over the tail. This 

 was the best Light-cockerel class seen for a long time. 



Hens were very moderate. First-prize fine in shape, size, and 

 colour, heavily feathered, and decidedly hocked, but not too much, nor 

 ^tampered with. One had a coarse comb, and both were too narrow 

 over the tail. The second-prize bird was good in size, colour mo- 

 derate, feather middling, but shape poor. The third-prize pen had 

 -one fine bird, the other quite poor. The first-prize indlets had the 

 best pair of cushions in the class, middling hackles, but poorly 

 feathered. In the second-prize pen one was very fine in shape, size, 

 and colour, the other, again, too narrow behind. The third pen con- 

 tained one really beautiful bird — cushion, hackle, and feather all good, 

 ■bxxt her mate, again, a poor bird, and with a spotted back. The fourth- 

 prize birds were of a nice colour, but small and narrow. This class was 

 >not equal in quality to the cocks, and disappointed us much. 

 MALAYS. 



The codes were very fine. The first-prize bird very stylish and hard 

 in feather ; the second-prize bird larger, but not so Malay in character. 

 Cocherels only three ! First, a very young almost black bird, in fault- 

 less condition. Second, a white. Jlens, five pens again, and well 

 judged, but in the three pullets, the second-prize was quite wrong, 

 being low on the legs, and quite without Malay shoulders, the want 

 ■of wMeh was made up by a spreading tail. 



FREKCH FOWLS. 



Creve-C(tur codes were a good class and fairly judged, though, 

 we would prefer, perhaps, Mr. Sichels second-prize pen. In the 

 liens Mr. Wood was clearly first, but the others were very good, and 

 this struck us as the finest of all the French classes. All the prize 

 Soudan codes were very fine and belonged to the usual names, but 

 were not quite so large as some that have been seen. Hens were very 

 fair, and we think we can see signs of their becoming a really hand- 

 some variety. We liked, perhaps, Mr. Wood's pen, 9S0, best of the 

 lot. La Flechc codes were in very good condition, but still few. Tha 

 Jiejis were fewer still, only numbering three pens. Both prizes were 

 very good, but should have changed places. 

 SPANISH. 



Old codes were a small and middling class, bad spirits prevailing 

 throughout. This class did not contain a single Bristol exhibitor, and 

 placing pens was almost entirely a question of condition. The winners 

 were well placed, though the second-prize bird was far the best in 

 sterling value. Codeerds were numerous, but quality barely an average. 

 The Palace cup-winner was here put sixth, the cnp going to a bird 

 which would be very good if given what the Yankees call "an eye- 

 opener." The second and third were good birds, but the fourth and 

 fifth very poor again, and the class generally was remarkable for the 

 absence of any really first-class specimens. Hens again in bad condi- 

 tion, and none but the first and second prizes were really fit to be 

 shown, even these by no means in order, and the present season seems 

 by no means favourable to the faces of the birds, which were in reality 

 good, but looked veiy middling indeed. It struck us that the faces of 

 the indleis were getting smaller, and losing the smoothness which is 

 so desirable. Only the first three prizes could be termed good, the 

 first going to the Crystal Palace pen, and leaving no fault to be found 

 with the judeiug. The Spanish classes, as a whole, greatly disappointed 

 ns, and judging must in a great degree have consisted rather in mark- 

 ing out bad pens than in ticking off the good. A change of weather 

 may, we hope, bring better looks, especially to the "young ladies of the 

 family." 



HAMBURGHS. 



Blado Samburghs, which here bef^in the list, were much better than 

 at the Palace, both in number and condition. In codes Mr. Beldon 

 won with, an old cock in fine feather, the others, being cockerels, also 



well shown. In hens Mr. Serjeantson took first in his usual style. 

 Second were also in fine order, but third were hardly equal to pen 



Gold-jpendlled codes were a well-filled class, Mr. Beldon being first 

 with a very fine bird. The second and third were also of marked 

 quality, but most of the others had far too much bronze in the taiL 

 Hens a fair class, but the prize birds were easily distinguished from 

 the rest. First-prize birds were small, but very accurately pencilled. 



Siher-jjencilled codes were a small but really extraordinary class. 

 There were but seven entries, and out of these we have no hesitation 

 in saying that the three prizes (rightly placed) and the sole high com- 

 mendation given, were the four best cocks ever shown together. 

 The hen class contained a few very good pairs, the pri^e pens being 

 superior in depth of colour, which, we may remark for the benefit of 

 amateurs, is particularly essential to Birmingham winners, the light 

 coming so directly down on the birds that many which appear a fine 

 but colour elsewhere look but very washy at thi? Show. 



Gold-spangled codes were a good class, and abounded with smart 

 and good combs, which used to be the exception. The best birds were 

 to the front decidedly, all the winners being birds of the year. 



Hens good, too, aud awards correct. All the winners old birds, 

 and the extra prize for the best Hamburgh hen went to this class. 



Silver-spangled coc/es were the best class ever seen at Birmingham. 

 All the winners young birds again, and both they and the highly com- 

 mended pens had wonderfully perfect tails. We were not quite sure 

 about the third prize ; but it was at best a ticklish, matter, and not 

 much to complain of. 



Hens were a capital class and, as in Gold, the matrons took all the 

 prizes. Awards were criticised, but we think them correct as the birds 

 stood, though there is no doubt Mr. Beldon's third-prize will be in a 

 few weeks better than the first. The singular fact may be noted, that 

 except in first-prize Blacks, young cocks took all the Hamburgh prizes, 

 while in the other sex all the winners in Pencils were pullets, and in 

 the Spangles old hens. 



POLISH. 



Blade Poland codes, though few, were a beautiful class, and it was 

 really hard to have only two prizes to give. 



Hens were middling, and we must say wore misjudged. The second 

 prize should not have been in the list at all. The first prize should 

 have been second, and first given to Mr. Shaw's pen, 129S. In Golden 

 codes first-prize was a grand bird for size and carriage, but his mark- 

 ings far too pale. Second smaller, but far better colour. The first- 

 prize hens are the best we ever saw. Second, a nice pair of promising 

 pullets. This breed still progresses. In Silver cocks first and second 

 were both good, but third not enough colour. Hens were a nice class, 

 , the lacing being good all through. The same exhibitor took botli 

 prizes and won them fairly. 



ANY VARIETY. 

 This class was remarkable for four rumpless pens shown by one 

 exhibitor, and all quite different in character. First were a nice pair 

 of Scotch Greys, second Andalusian, third Chamois Polish. In this 

 class the legitimate result of the niggardly encouragement offered by 

 the Committee was seen in only nineteen entries ; many breeds, such 

 as thenow-increasingly-sought-for Leghorns, being quite unrepresented 



G.A.ME. 



The first prize Black Eed cock was very good in plumage, colour, 

 and condition, and took the cnp for the " best Eed." The second should 

 not have been in the list at all, having very scaly legs : he was a good 

 bird otherwise, but this should have thrown him out. Third a grand 

 bird in every way, and we should not be surprised if he turned his tail 

 on the first. Fourth moderately good. Mr. Douglas's pen, 1390, 

 ought in our opinion to have had the vacant second place. This was a 

 fair class and no more. The young cocks, on the contrary, a first-rate 

 class. First well won his position every way. Second a fine shape, 

 but rather dull in colour. Third a good colour, but low on the leg, 

 aud with a forked tail. Fourth fine in colour and shape, but too much 

 tail by far. Fifth a good bird, but shown rather too young. Many 

 other really good birds. Hens a pretty good class. First a splendid 

 bird, and clearly the best ; but second and third also good. Pullets 

 consisted of many capital birds, aud the Judges again pi'-ked them out 

 well. Second was perhaps a shade coarse, fourth rather slight, and 

 fifth dull in colour, but the merits of all these birds quite outweighed 

 the defects. 



Brown Bed codes were not up to the Birmingham standard. First a 

 fairly good bird, but far inferior to the same gentleman's pen, 1526 — 

 that is, so far as we could judge without handling, and supposing the 

 latter to be as good as he looked. Second a splendid bird, both in 

 carriage and colour. Third good all but his feet, which were too short 

 in the toes. Fourth good in body and limbs, hut carried his tail much 

 too high. Fifth a fair bird. The same general remark as to quality 

 applies to the cockerels, the good birds being the exceptions. Only the 

 first-prize stood boldly out, being the Crystal Palace winner, which 

 has changed owners, and nearly every breeder said this bird should 

 have had the cup. Second rather too dark, but good in style, and par- 

 ticularly so in legs and feet. Third hardly ready for show, but un- 

 doubtedly good when he is. Fourth a nice bird, short in back toes. 

 Fifth again was too young to show well. 



The hens were a capital class. The first was clearly before all the 

 rest, having a most beautiful head and neck, and looking a lady all 

 over. Second a nice hen, but tail a little too much up. Other prizes 



