October 3, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



279 



Ea'ch of the plate prizes for poultry •will be of the full value of 

 £3 3s. After this announcement we hope other committees will 

 notfix on the same days for their shows. 



SCARBOROUGH BIRD SHOW. 

 This took place on the 26th and 27th ult. Mr. Blakston's 

 remarks will be found in another column, 



Norwich.— Clear Yelioic.—l and he, Adams & Athersuch, Sponend, Coventry. 

 2 and The, G. & 3. Mackley, Norwich. 3, Moore & "Wynne, Northampton. Clear 

 Buff —I, M. King, Scarborough. 2, Adams & Athersuch. 3, G. & 3. Mackley. 

 he, W. Barwell. 



Norwich. — Even-marked Yellow. — 1 and vhc, Adams & Athersuch. 2, Moore 

 and Wynne. 3, E. Mills, Sunderland, he, T. Carbut, Fossgate, York. Even- 

 marked Buff.— I, 2, and he, Adams & Athersuch. 3, S. Buntin, Derby, vhc, 

 Moore & Wynne 



Nokwich.— Ticke d, or Uneven-marked Yellow.— 1, 3, and vhc, Adams & Ather- 

 such. 2, G. & J. Mackley. he. M. King. Ticked, or Uneven-marked Buff. — 1 

 and 2, G. & J. Mackley. 3, A. Uf ton, Derby, vhc and he, Adams & Athersuch. 



Noewich. — Any variety of Crested. — land 3, Wallace & Beloe, Berwick-on- 

 Tweed. 2, J. Martin, Northampton, vhc, J. Parker, Sunderland, he, T. Irons, 

 Nerthampton. 



Belgian — 1, J. N. Harrison, Belper. 2. S. Buntin. 3. W. Forth, Pocklington. 

 vhc, 3. Stevens, Middl.sborough. he. 3. & T. Fawcitt. Baildon, Leeds. 



Yorkshire. —Clear Yellow or Buff. — 1 and 2, J. & T. Fawcitt. 3, L. Belk, 

 Dewsbury. vhc, E. Bradley, Westgate, Guisborough. he, 3. Cooper, Middles- 

 brough. Even-marked Yellow or Buff.— 1 and 3, L. Belk. 2, 3. Waterson. vhc, 

 3. Stevens. 



Lizard.— Golden-spangled.— i, 3. Taylor, Middlesbrough. 2, C. Greenwood, 

 Scarborough. 3, R. Ritchie, Darlington, vhc, 3. Ellis. Scarborough, he, 3. N. 

 Harrison. Silver-spangled.— 1 and 3, C. Greenwood. 2, G. & J. Mackley. vhc, 

 3. Taylor, he, R. fcitchie (3). 



Cinnamon.— Yellow or Buff.— I, Wallace & Beloe. 2, J. Bexson, Derby. 3 and 

 7ic, Moore & "Wynne. 



Any other Variety.— 1, J. & T. Fawcitt. 2, J. Stevens. 3 and vhc, L. Belk. 

 he, W. Hut' on. BaildoD. Leeds. 



Goldfinch Mule — Even-marked.— 1 and he. G. & J. Mackley. 2. R. Haw- 

 man, Middlesbrough. 3, J. Cooper. Dark.—\, R. Hawman. 2, W. Lister, 

 Norton, Malton. 3, M. Burton, Yurk. he, G. & J. Mackley. 



Cage of Six Canaries.— Any Variety— \, G. & J. Mackley. 2, Clark and 

 Jarvis, Scarborough. S, J. Stevens, vhc, 3. Downs, fligbgate, Beverley, he, 

 M. King. 



British Birds. — Any variety.— I, Mrs. Waterson, Eastboroueh, Scarborough 

 (Talking Starling). 2. C. Burton (Goldfinch). 8, W. Harland, York (Bullfinch). 

 vhc, W. Lister (Bullfinch). 



Foreign Birds. — Any variety. — Y, 3. Calvert, Bootham. Y'ork (Rosella 

 Paroquet). 2, Mrs. Waterson (Golden Bishop), vhc, H. Wyrill, Scarborough 

 (Mountain Miner, from Chiltagong); Wallace & Beloe. 7tc, j. Waterson, East- 

 borough, Scarborough. 



Parrot. — Grey. — 1, Mrs. Waterson. 2, J. Waterson- vhc. 3. Steward, Scar- 

 borough. Green, or any other Large— \, 3. G. Hart, Falsgrave, Scarborough. 

 2, J. Calvert, vhc, W. Musson, Scarborough. 



Love Birds.— Australian. — ]. J. B. Baker, Scarborough. 2, M. Lister. 



Cockatoo.— 1, J. Wyrill. 2, J. B. Baker, vhe, 3. Calvert. 



Judges. — Mr. ~W. A. Blakston, Sunderland, and Mr. J. Baxter, 

 Newcastle. 



SCOTCH HOUSE TUMBLERS. 



After the young House Tumbler has begun to tumble freely 

 inside the loft, if the entrance to it is on the top of a house or 

 much above the level of the ground it will always be found much 

 safer to confine it there altogether. This course is, however, 

 often followed by the tumbling disappearing for some little time, 

 and when this happens one feels very much inclined to let it 

 out again ; if this is done the probabilities are that for a day or 

 two the bird will fly pretty well, but before long it will again be 

 found in the same difficulties as when it first began to develope 

 into a House Tumbler, and the chances of losing it will now be 

 much increased, as the fits of tumbling will generally be more 

 severe than at first. The better plan, however, is to exercise a 

 little patience, as the tumbling will probably return in a very 

 short time, and almost always as soon as the bird begins to sit 

 on eggs — this fact no doubt shows that penning it up would 

 probably be followed by the same effect; tut as the breed is so 

 prolific that the birds will not only continue to lay eggs, but 

 also hatch and rear young nearly the whole year round, I have 

 found it quite unnecessary to resort to the practice of penning 

 them up. If I had suitable accommodation for keeping them 

 where the entrance to the Pigeon house could be made on the 

 ground or very near to it I should prefer to adopt that plan, 

 Tiaving a wire-netting enclosure in front, with a door opening on 

 to a grass plot. "Wrien kept in this way there is little danger 

 {unless from cats) in letting out the whole of the birds, for 

 if any of the House Tumblers do happen to get up on the top of 

 any building, they have comparatively little difficulty in flying 

 <lown ; mauy birds can do that, but would find it quite impossible 

 to fly up. 



The wired aviary in front, with an entrance on the ground 

 level, or if higher with boards so arranged that the birds can 

 walk from the Pigeon house to the aviary without using their 

 wings, and from the aviary to the Pigeon house in the same 

 -way, enables any House Tumblers which cannot fly to enjoy the 

 benefit of basking in the sun, and when it is wished to exhibit 

 the performances of these birds the door has merely to be 

 opened and the birds driven on to the grass plot, the soft turf 

 ^protecting any which tumble in any degree heavily from hurt- 

 ing themselves, and besides this many birds which would not 

 -tumble at all inside a loft will tumble very prettily outside on 

 -the ground. About the neatest performer which I ever saw 

 was a Red-and-white cock of this description I had some 

 years ago, which used to afford me great amusement. At that 



time I had a Pigeon house with an entrance about 3 feet from 

 the ground, and when this bird was building I occasionally 

 opened the door of the wired enclosure for the purpose of watching 

 his performances. No sooner would the door be opened than out 

 he would come and pick up the first straw or twig he could find, 

 walk quickly up beneath the entrance to the Pigeon house with 

 it, then attempt to fly up, but in this he very rarely succeeded 

 until he had tumbled at least half a dozen times, barely clearing 

 his head each time, but landing beautifully on tiptoe to make 

 another attempt without a moment's delay. The curiosity about 

 him, however, was the tenacious way he held on by the straw; 

 he often dropped it — sometimes the first time, sometimes the 

 second, and so on, but I have many a time counted him tumble 

 seven times, and retain his hold of it all the time, carrying it at 

 last inside to his mate. 



It should always be borne in mind that birds which tumble a 

 great deal should never be turned out in stormy weather, as there 

 is great danger of their losing entire control of themselves, and 

 I have known birds in such circumstances dashed against a wall 

 and killed on the spot, and others I have known carried to a 

 distance perfectly incredible when the meagre powers of flight 

 which the birds possessed were considered. These cases only 

 happened when either gross carelessness or ignorance was at 

 the bottom of them, but the fancier should guard against acci- 

 dents of the kind by looking well to the state of the wind before 

 giving them their morning fly. The House Tumbler, when it 

 has begun to tumble inside, does not become incapable of flight 

 all at once, but continues for a time able to fly about through 

 the loft, tnrmbling only occasionally at first, but gradually im- 

 proving with age until many of them become unable to nest any- 

 where but on the floor, and seldom attempt to fly. In this state 

 they have been described as diseased, broken-spirited, maimed, 

 &C. Never was there a greater mistake, as healther livelier birds 

 it is impossible to find of any breed if treated in a rational way ; 

 neither are they particularly liable to accidents if confined to the 

 loft at the proper time, as although I have kept birds of the very 

 highest type for many years. I have never had a single accident 

 to any of them inside, and I have them now of an unknown age, 

 sound in wind and limb, glossy in plumage, and as merry as 

 the merriest. It is not, however, rational treatment to put them 

 into the hands of boys who will keep them continually knocking 

 about for the purpose of seeing them tumbling, and in such 

 cases I do not think it can be expected that they will either keep 

 in health or escape accident, but it is wonderful how much even 

 of that they will stand. There is one result which is always 

 sure to follow this treatment — viz., that the birds get shy, and 

 instead of attempting to rise when wanted they will rush into 

 a corner and refuse to come out."* To overcome this difficulty the 

 youthful fancier resorts to the practice of lifting them by hand, 

 so that he may be able to see them tumble while they fly or 

 attempt to fly to the floor, and. if a bird will hurt itself at all 

 then is the time it will do it, as in its fright and eagerness to 

 get away it forgets its usual care, and goes down with a smash. 

 One rule which I think ought always to be observed is never to 

 touch a House Tumbler at ail when it is wanted to tumble. I 

 never do so myself, and generally find a snap with my fingers ' 

 sufficient to make them go ovnr, and when this fails a wave with 

 a hat or a handkerchief always suffices ; care should be taken 

 even with this plan not to go too near to them, as when the 

 wing is suddenly expanded it sometimes touches the hand or 

 hat unexpectedly, and a very slight touch will put a first-rate bird 

 off its balance, and prevent it from landing nicely on its feet. 



There are two very distinct styles of inside tumbling. The first 

 and probably the most common is where the birds tumble much 

 in the same style as an Air Tumbler — that is, their flight is but 

 little interrupted by the tumbling. Some birds of this kind 

 when they rise will tumble so near to the floor that one wonders 

 how their head escapes, and yet continue their course, probably 

 tumbling two or three times more before settling down. This 

 I would consider the best style, and they would, be the best 

 birds but for the fact that, so far as my personal experience goes, 

 they can never .absolutely be depended upon : you never know 

 when they will tumble and when they will not until you try 

 them. I consider certainty of performance the highest quality, 

 and therefore look upon them as inferior birds to the other class 

 which do not tumble in quite such good style, but which are by 

 far the most certain perf orrners ; these are usually what we call 

 a little heavy — that is, corning down a little after the tumble, 

 which generally brings them to the floor. They should not, 

 however, come down with a crash, but if the tumble be made 

 any distance from the floor, say a couple of feet or more, they 

 should be seen distinctly to balance themselves on the wing 

 before alighting on their feet, and even if the tumble be made 

 so close to the floor that it is impossible to see them balance 

 themselves on the wing as their feet touch the ground, before 

 they could do it the practised ear will observe the sharp crack. 



Before closing the retrospective portion of my subject I shall 

 briefly advert to one or two matters which I have omitted to 

 notice. " "Wtltshxre Rector " has hazarded an opinion that 

 close breeding destroys the tumbling property, while " Old 



