140 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTXJEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ August 15, 1872. 



bird (which is 19 inches in feather and 7 inches in limb) is a 

 bird of this season. There were but two pairs of Carriers. In 

 Short-faced Tumblers Almonds stood first and second, and Bed 

 Whole-feathers third, the Almonds being models of their kind* 

 It is seldom there is such a display of common Tumblers at any 

 Show, the prizetakers winning solely by condition and bloom, 

 and every pen deserved a prize. The first were Red Mottles, 

 the second Black Baldpates, and the third Black Mottles, while 

 Silver Balds and Red Mottles were highly commended. The 

 first-prize pair of English Owls were Silvers, and the second 

 and third Blues ; and this being the first year the class was 

 admitted into the schedule, we were glad to see so many entries. 

 Foreign Owls were also very good, and the competition very 

 keen, Blue winning first, and Whites second and third. Turbits 

 were not so large a class as we have seen at this Show, but to 

 improve upon the prizewinners would be hopeless. The first 

 and third were Reds, and the second Yellow. Jacobins, with the 

 exception of the first-prize pair, were rather coarse, though good 

 in other points. Fantails were good though not numerous, but 

 Barbs were poor. In Dragoons the winners were Blue, the first- 

 prize pair- being in all points as good as can be desired. There 

 was also a very good pair of Reds. Short-faced Antwerps were 

 a large class, but many of the birds were neither long nor short, 

 though extremely good in all points as common Antwerps. The 

 first prize went to Silver Duns, the second to Blues, and the 

 third also to Duns. In Long-faced the entries were also large, 

 but several pairs were not well matched. The first prize went 

 to a handsome pair of Red Chequers, the second to Duns (which 

 pair was superior in every point to all the rest, except that the 

 hen was a little spindly in bill), and the third to Duns, not 

 in the highest condition. Reds were first in Magpies, Blacks 

 second, and Blues third. Archangels were a good class, and the 

 birds in good bloom. In the Variety class were also some 

 handsome birds of the fancy varieties, and in the Selling class 

 Blue English Owls were first, White Dragoons second, and Red 

 Pouters third. 



Game.— Black-breasted.— Cock.— 1, W. Spencer, Haworth. 2, J. Mason, Wor- 

 cester. 3, W. Speakman, Nantwich. Men. — 1, W. Spencer. 2, H, Jennings, 

 Allerton. 3, Miss Ackroyd, Ecclesh'll. 



Game.— Brown-breasted— Cock.— 1, Miss Ackroyd. 2, J. Fortune. Keighley. 

 3, C. W. Brierley, Middleton. Hen.— 1, T. Dyson, Halifax. 2, J. Carlisle, Earby, 

 Skipton. 3, W.Spencer, he, J. Smith, Allerton; C. W. Brierley. c,M. Jowett, 

 Clayton. 



Game— Any other Variety— I, C. W. Brierley. 2, Miss Ackroyd. 3, E. Win- 

 wood, Worcester. 



Spanish.— Black.— 1, J. Powell, Bradford. 2, H. Beldon, Goitstock, Bingley. 

 3, J. Thresh, Bradford. 



Cochin--China.— 1, A. Bamford, Manchester. 2. C. W. Brierley. 3, W. Harvey, 

 Sheffield, he, C. Sidgwick, Keighley; H. Beldon ; W. Mitchell, Birkenshaw. 



Brahma-Pootra — 1, W. Whitley', Sheffield. 2, W. Harvey. 3, E. Leach, 

 Rochdale. 

 French. — 1, H. Beldon. 



Hamburghs.— Golden-spangled— 1 and 3, H. Beldon. 2, J. Roltfnson. Liudley, 

 Otley. he, C. Holstead, Fearncliffe, Bingley. Siioer-spangled. — 1, Cup, and 2, 

 H. Beldon. 



Hameorghs. — Golden-pencilled.— 1 and 3, H. Beldon. 2. J. Preston, Allerton. 

 Silver-pencilled.— I and 2, H. Beldon. 3, H. Pickles, Skipton. c, H. & A. Gill, 

 Crawshawbooth, Rawtenstall. 



Hamburghs — Black— 1, H. Beldon. 2, J. Smith, GilBtead, Bingley. 3, J. 

 Moore, Bingley. c. C. Sidgwick ; J. Sharp, Bingley. 

 Poland.— 1, 2, and 3. H. Beldon. 



Any other Variety.— 1, E. Leach. 2, E. Smith, Passmars, Rochdale. 3, W. 

 Harvey. 



Game Bantams— 1 and 2, W. F. Entwisle. Westfield, Bradford. 3, G. Noble, 

 Dewsbury. he, W. Harvey, c, W. Adams. Ipswich. 



Bantams— Any otlier Variety.— 1 and Teapot, H. Beldon. 2, R. H. Ashton, 

 Mottram, Manchester. 3, W. Harvey, he, J. Waddington, Guiseley, Leeds. 



CHICKENS. 



Game.— Black-breasted.— Cockerel-— 1, W. Spencer. 2, Barker & Charnock, 



Hlingworth, Halifax. 3, W. Fell, Adwalton. lie. J. Hird, Fearncliffe, Binglev; 



H. Jennings. Pullet.— 1, M. Jowett. 2, Wilson & Hodgson, nlingworth. 3, E. 



Winwood, Worcester, he, J. Hird. 



Game.— Broien-breasted — Cockerel.— 1 and 2, W. Tillotson, Cotes Barnolds- 

 wick. 3, J. Spencer. Clayton, he, A. Kershaw. Clayton ; J. Smith, c, T. Dyson ; 

 J. Spencer; J. Carlisle. Pullet— 1 and 3, W. Tillotson. 2, J. Smith, he, J. 

 Carlisle. 



Game.— Any other Variety.— 1, Miss Ackroyd. 2, R. Walker, Gomersal. 3, T. 

 Dyson, he, Wilson & Hodgson : M. Jowett. 



Cochin.China.— 1 and 2, C. Sidgwick. 



Hamburghs. — Golden-spangled. — 1, H. Beldon. 2, J. Preston, Allerton. 3, 

 Duke of Sutherland, Trentham Hall, Stoke-on-Trent. Silver-spangled.— I, H. 

 Beldon. 2, T. Fawcett, Baildon, Leeds. 



Hamburghs.— Golden-pencilled.— I, H. & A. Gill. 2, E. Clayton, Keighley. 

 3, H. Pickles, he, W. Driver, Keighley ; J. Thornton. Keighley : W. Clayton ; 

 J. Smith, c. H. Beldon. Silver-pencilled.— I. H. Beldon. 2, H. Pickles. 3, H. 

 Smith, he, H. Smith ; J. Preston ; Duke of Sutherland. 



Hamburghs— Biack.— land 2, C. Sidgwick. 3, J. Smith, he, J. Moore ; Duke 

 of Sutherland. 



Game Bantihs.— 1, 2, and 3, W. F. Entwisle, Bradford, c, W. Shenstone, 

 Worcester; G.Noble. 



Bantams.— Any otlier Variety —1, R. Pickles. 2, W. H. Robinson, Keighley. 

 3, R. H. Ashton. 



Selling Class— 1, J. Powell. 2, A. KerBhaw. S, C. Carr, Bingley. 



Duces.— Bouen.—l and 2, J. Newton, Silsden. 3, E. Leach. Aylesbury.— 

 1 and 3, E. Leach. 2, J. Hedge, Aylesbury, he, H. Beldon. Any other Variety. 

 —1, H. B. Smith, Broughton, Preston. 2 and 3, W. Binns, Pudsev. Leeds. 

 he, H.B. Smith ; C. W. Brierley; W. Binns ; J. J. Maiden, Biggleswade. 



PIGEONS. 



Pouters.— 1, 8, and he, J. Hawley, Girlington. 2. w. Harvey, Sheffield. 



Carriers.— 1, H. Yardley, Birmingham. 2, J. Hawley. 



Tumblers.— Short-faeed.—l, 3, and he, J. Hawlev. 2*, W. Harvey. Common. 

 —1 and 2. J. Hawley. 3, D. Riddihough, jun., Bradford, he, W. Harvey ; D. 

 Riddihough. jun. (2). 



Owls.— English— I, A. Wadsworth. Ovenden. 2, W. Harvey. 3, J. Hawlev. 

 he, W. F. Entwisle; J. Hawley; J. Thresh, Bradford. Foreign.— 1 and 3, j. 

 Hawley. 2, C. Dennison, Halifax, he, J. E. Mason, Bradford, c, H. Yardlev. 



Turbits.— 1, Clayton & Bairstow, Bradford. 2 and S, J. Hawley. 4, T. Foster, 

 Bingley. lie, W. Binns, 



Jacobins.— 1, W. Binns. 2, Hinchcliffe & Holt, Bradford. 3, J. Hawley. he, J. 

 Lister, Keighley ; J. Hawley. 



Fantails.— 1 and 2, J. F. Loversidge, Newark. 3 and e, J. Hawlev. lie, H. 

 Yardley. 



Barbs— 1, H. Yardley. 2, R. Wade, Halifax. 3. J. Hawley. 



Dragoons.— 1, H. Yardley. 2, J. Hawley. 3, W.Harvey, lie, W. Stanhope ; 

 Clayton & Bairstow. 



Trumpeters.— 1, 2, and 3, J. Hawley. 



Nuns.— 1, J. Hawley. 



Antwebps. — Short-faced.— I, J. Lister. 2. D. Riddihough. jun. 3, H. Yardley. 

 he, J. Lister; Whittingham & Bishop, Skipton; F. Darnford, Leeds. Long- 

 faced.— 1, D. Riddihough, jun. 2. H. Jennings. 3, -T. W. Collinson, Halifax. 

 he. J. Lister (2) ; Clayton & Eairatow (2) ; H. Jennings ; J. W. Collinson. 



Magpies.— 1 and 2, J. Hawley. 3, H. A. Saddington, Northampton, he, H. 

 Y'ardley. 



Archangels.— 1, H. Yardley. 2, W.Harvey. 3, W. Binns. he, H. Y'ardley ; 

 J. Hawley. 



Any other Variety. — 1, J. Hawley. 2, D. Riddihough, jun. 3, H. Yardley. 

 he. J. Rhodes, Harewood ; J. Hawley (2) ; W. Harvey. 



Selling Class.— 1, W. Stanhope. 2 and 3, J. Hawley. he, J. Lister ; Clay- 

 ton and Bairstow (2) ; L. Watkin, Northampton ; J. Hawley. 



Rabbits.— Common.— 1, J. Knight. Allerton. 2, E. A. Fairbank, Allerton. 3, E. 

 R. Waddington, Girlington. he, T. Roper, Allerton. 



The poultry were judged by Mr. B. Hewitt, of Sparkbrook, 

 near Birmingham, and the Pigeons by Mr. E. Hutton, of Pud- 

 sey, Leeds. 



TUMBLERS NOT TUMBLING. 

 " Scotch Thistle " notices with regret the fact that by far 

 the greater majority of Tumblers do not tumble. Is this a 

 modern grievance ? I incline to think that at any rate it is an 

 increasing grievance. In respect to its being a modem trouble 

 there is this to be said, that none of the old writers allude to it ; 

 they all speak of the birds as if their tumbling were taken for 

 granted, this being always the case with regard to flying Tum- 

 blers ; and they even go so far as to say the Almond could per- 

 form as well, being clearly desirous of removing a supposed 

 stigma from the Alm ond. According, therefore, to those old 

 writers, all Tumblers tumbled. Even the author of "The Dove- 

 cote" speaks with rapture about "that darling little cinnamon 

 Tumbler" and "the seven times he went over;" whereas those 

 said darlings may be bought in dozens, and not one tumble at 

 all, or only tumble badly. Eaton is, I think, the first writer 

 who notices the scarcity of the proper aerial performances of 

 the Tumbler, saying, " How often you observe a flight of Tum- 

 blers, say twenty or more, but how seldom, or how few tumble 

 at all ! Tou may observe one or two. I cannot think what has 

 come to the Tumblers as regards tumbling." And then he 

 speaks of their being so different when he was a boy, and how 

 delighted he used to be with their tumbling. I can look back 

 some thirty years and a little more, and remember being invited 

 when a boy to see this fancier's flight and that, and among- 

 poorer men this or that red or black bird's performances. 



This year I have been experimenting in flying Tumblers, and 

 have an arrangement with the keeper of a bird shop to send me 

 any good-losking Tumblers, to be returned by me if not good 

 performers — and every bird has as yet been returned, or will be, 

 they not tumbling, or only backing, or not tumbling well. lSJo 

 bird is to be sent to me unless it be pearl-eyed, and properly 

 marked, and made according to the variety. Sometimes I have 

 had a pair sent with these words, " The person I bought them 

 of said they tumbled, and I rather think they will, as they have 

 a few feathers on their legs." For once I overlooked the feathers, 

 as they were very few, but in spite of them they did not tumble, 

 and I returned them last week. 



Then we have in this world a rule that money will bring 

 anything ; so I advertised in this Journal for three hen Bald- 

 pates (my particular favourites, because of the pleasing contrast 

 of colour when in the air) : the birds were to be good performers. 

 Well, I had not one answer from any single individual who 

 could warrant that his birds were actually and really tumblers. 

 I had indeed plenty of answers and offers of Baldheads from 2s. 

 each to 20s., and one man said his bird looked as if it would 

 tumble ! The general reply and inducement to purchase was, 

 that the birds were not flown, and therefore no opinion as to 

 their performances could be given. In the end I had to be satis- 

 fied with properly marked and coloured birds. This experiment 

 and its failure are, to say the least, singular, and it seems impos- 

 sible to answer the question, Why do not modern Tumblers 

 tumble ? Clearly this variety received its name because of its 

 performances in the air ; and the account given by the oldest 

 writers of the shape of the bird, its eyes, markings, &c, show 

 that our present breeds resemble exactly those known a century 

 since as Tumbler and tumbling Pigeons. 



The Short-faces have all greatly improved. The Almond of 

 seventy years since was not much to boast of : this we all know 

 by the engravings of the birds of that date. There may be 

 found one reason for the deterioration of Tumblers (fulfilling 

 their name) in the fact that shows have so much increased the 

 breeding of Short-faces, and in many strains of flying birds 

 traces of Short-face blood are to be seen. As these_ always 

 tumbled less than the flying birds, an infusion of their blood 

 has injured the flyers in the air, though improved their appear- 

 ance on the ground. 



