November 1, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



353 



Dorkings with four classes were the first in the catalogue 

 where the crip pen were a pair of Darks of great merit, their 

 shape, combs, and feet being all that could be desired. The 

 second were very fine birds, but the pullet hardly in her fail 

 beauty. The cup Silver-Greys were excellent, the cockerel's 

 colour beiDg extremely good, and bis pullet a great beauty in 

 full feather and good condition. The first Alexandra Whites 

 here again scored the similar honour, and moBt deservedly ; 

 they are of soperb colour, and good in combs as well as being 

 large, while the cup Cuckocs were very even in markings and 

 large in frame. We were glad to see the quality so satisfactory 

 in this class. 



Spanish were not a large collection, but we thought the quality 

 very good. The winners won their places easily, and we muoh 

 liked the pullet in the third-prize pen. 



Cochins were in excellent force, and we thought the winners 

 well selected in each department. In Buffs the winners were 

 the first Alexandra pair claimed there of Lady Gwydyr. They 

 were in beautiful feather and looked well. The cockerel in the 

 second pen was very rich in colonr, and had a good-coloured 

 pullet. In Partridges the first pullet was very good, her pencil- 

 lings beiDg excellent. The cockerel in the second-prize pen was 

 as yet in poor feather, and requires some time to have his neck 

 hackles down. The cup Whites were in fine condition, and 

 though not very large deserved their place, and we are sorry to 

 say that the tail feathers of both birds were many of them 

 clipped by some evil-disposed person, as was, too, the fluff and 

 side feathers of the second-prize cockerel. In Blacks the cup 

 pen were in the best feather, but the second were the largest. 

 The pullet here was, however, moulting her neck feathers. We 

 were sorry to see no Cuckoos exhibited. 



Brahmas mustered well, especially the Lights. The winning 

 pullet was prettily marked, and her mate will in time probably 

 be a good one; as yet he is rather raw in appearance. The cup 

 Lights were much hocked or else very large, and the second and 

 third were also good, though the latter cockerel could have been 

 of a better colour with advantage. Mr. LiDgwood's pens in both 

 classes were empty. 



Game made a great feature in the Show, and we believe the 

 awards were on the whole most favourably received. All agreed 

 in the great excellence of the £10-cup Black Red cockerel, which 

 was claimed at the catalogue price of £50 during the Show. 

 His colour, style, and Bhape were all perfection. The cup Black 

 Red pullet was also very good, and this choice was again much 

 approved of. The Brown Red cockerel which won the cup was 

 very shapely and good in feather, as was the same exhibitor's 

 Duckwing. In the other pullet class a Pile, very fine and 

 good in colour was first, the same bird which won at the Alex- 

 andra, we believe. In the undubbed class a stylish Brown Red 

 won the cup, and a good Black Red had the second honours. 



Hamburgh* made the finest display we have so far this season 

 seen of the breed. The cup Silver-pencils were very pretty, 

 and the pullet good in markings ; the cockerel will look better 

 when his tail is more matured. The cup Blacks have had the 

 same position frequently before, and the cock is gloSBy and neat, 

 but certainly too pale in the face. The Golden-spaugleB were 

 good, and the pullet handsome in moons, with a good cockerel. 

 The Golden-pencils were very strong, and there were several 

 capital birds as well as the winners which came in for cards. 



Polands were of great merit, though the Blacks were few in 

 number. In this colour the cup pen were the whitest in crests, 

 and deserved their position. The Silvers, too, were good, though 

 it is doubtful if either second or third were not superior to the 

 cup pen ; but all were remarkably fine, and all came from one 

 yard in the first place we believe. The Golds made the largest 

 class, and the quality was very good, the third-prize pens being 

 very even in merits and well selected. 



French came to the front in a strong way. The Houdans 

 were especially numerous and good. There did not appear to 

 be much between the firBt and second, but the latter were the 

 darker; both, however, were large, good in claws and crests. 

 The cup Creves were not, perhaps, the largest, but we liked them 

 as a pair. Mr. Wood had a larger cockerel, but his tail was far 

 too high. 



Malays were extremely good, the pullets especially, there 

 being many of that beautiful dark pheasant colour which we so 

 much admire. The winning cockerel was a very tall and fine 

 bird, and we thought they won easily. Mr. Hinton had a good 

 pullet, and Mr. Downing a good cockerel. 



Americans brought forty pens, and they were very fine. The 

 Whites, though placed in a high situation, looked to advantage, 

 and the cup pen were certainly very large and good in combs 

 and ears. The Browns were very light in colour as far as the 

 noticed pens went, and the fine condition of the cup and second- 

 prize pen doubtless helped to place them. 



Wliite Silkies and Sultans were grouped in the upper gallery 

 with the ornamental Waterfowl, and this department was in the 

 evenings the most crowded with visitors. The cup and second 

 Silkies were very near each other in points, and in Sultans an old 

 pair in very lovely feather took premier honours in a good class. 



Andalusians mustered Bixteen pens and made a striking 

 feature of the Show. The winners were excellent, and were 

 well-grown chickens ; many of the other pens required more 

 time. 



In the Variety class La Flechewere first and Plymouth Rocks 

 second, and third going to Black Minorcas. This class was not 

 so good as many of the others in its quality. 



Bantams were a good lot, but unfortunately the Game were 

 much in the dark and could hardly have justice done to them. 

 The winniDg Blacks were exceedingly luBtrous and smart ; and 

 the cup Laced very beautiful Silvers, the hen finely laced and 

 most pure in ground colour. In the Variety class very pretty 

 Pekins won first and White Rosecombs second, White Japanese 

 having third place. 



Waterfowl were wonderfully good, and the AylesburyB and 

 Rouens very fine indeed, the former cup pair being large and 

 very clear in bills. The Blacks were better than we have before 

 seen them this year. The first and second were small and 

 bright in colour ; the third were larger or else good in colour, 

 ancl were claimed at catalogue price. The Mandarins and 

 Carolinas were almost a Bbow in themselves, very beautiful 

 specimens of the first-named winning the cup. Their lovely 

 condition and feather were something to be remembered. In 

 the variety Duck class a good pen of Kasarkas came in first. 



The Geese were numerous, and all the prizes went to Greys ; 



while in Turkeys the cup pen was very fine and in beautiful 



condition, appearing to be at the same time very youthful indeed. 



The Judges were Messrs. Hewitt and Teebay, who divided the 



work between them. 



PIGEONS. 

 The Pigeons were shown as usual in the Town Hall. So 

 popular is this Show becoming that this building, formerly 

 amply large enough for many poultry classes as well as for the 

 Pigeons, is now barely large enough for the exhibition of the 

 latter and the Bantam classes. 



Carriers came first as usual. Blue or Silver cocks numbered 

 6ight. The first and second-prize birds were excellent, both 

 Blues. Mr. Fulton's struck us as the beBt in beak wattle, but 

 Mr. Stretch's in colour. Fifteen Black cocks were entered. An 

 old acquaintance won first and cup in capital trim. Second is 

 magnificent in wattle, but not quite perfect in beak. Dan cocks 

 numbered eight. First and second were well-known winners. 

 We should almost prefer the latter when in his best trim. Blue 

 or Silver hens (eleven), first very fine in form, second good in 

 colour. Black or Dun hens (sixteen), first and enp Mr. Fulton's 

 splendid Black, which we have before described ; second a Dun 

 with good wattle, third another good Dun. Any other colour, 

 cock or hen (eight), first a White, better in points than Whites 

 generally are; second and third Pieds. Black or Dun, hatched 

 in 1877, a class of twenty-nine, only four of which were noticed, 

 we fear many birds were shown in this class which ought from 

 their age to have been in the preceding classes. First-and- cup a 

 capital Dun, second a nice Black, third a Black too. There 

 were nine entries in the claBS for young birds of any other colour ; 

 firBt and third were Blues, second a good White. 



Pouters had five classes. The cup went to Mr. Lang's White 

 hen. She is a beautiful bird all round, but some breeders of 

 coloured birds thought themselves aggrieved by the award from 

 the additional points, difficult to produce, possessed by the 

 coloured varieties. It may be a mistake for whole-coloured 

 to compete with marked birds for the same cup, but when they 

 do so we consider that the beBt bird of its kind should have the 

 cup, and consequently think this award a good one. The bird 

 was, we believe, claimed for thirty guineas. Blue or Black cocks 

 (ten), first a Black very long in limb, second an immense Black, 

 third a pretty Blue. Blue or Black hens (eleven), first a very 

 pretty Blue, third a Black. White cocks (thirteen), first a very 

 large and grand bird, second and third very fair. White hens 

 (nine), first the above-mentioned hen ; her one blemish seemed 

 to us shortness of thigh. Any other colour (eleven), first Red, 

 good all round; second another Red, very slim in girth, and 

 generally thought the best bird in the class ; third a Yellow. 



Barbs had three classes. We have seen much better shows 

 of this breed. Cocks (twelve), first and-cnp Mr. Headley's Black, 

 well ahead of the reBt. Hens (eight), first a well-known Yellow 

 thoroughly out of condition, second a Black. Hatched in 1877 

 (eight), the winners all attractive birds and young, others in the 

 class looked antique. 



Tumblers. — Almond (eleven) were a capital class. First-and- 

 cup a very beautiful cock, second a hen prettily marked. Young 

 Almonds numbered only six; the first and second were very 

 promising. Mottled Short-faced (nine), first a Black rather 

 lightly mottled, second a Red, third a Black with too much 

 mottling, extending over the back. Short-faced, any other 

 variety (eleven), all the winners were Agates and beautiful birds. 

 First a cock, second and third hens. Balds or Beards not Short- 

 faced (ten), first a Blue Bald, second a Black Bald, third a Blue 

 Beard. Any other variety (eight), three Yellow Mottles won. 



Dragoons. — This variety had no less than eighteen classes, 

 232 entries, £31 15s. in prize money and four cups ! Proud in- 



