December 12, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



481 



Tho second-prize was a Black buck scarcely ten months old, of 

 clear glossy jet, so desirable a shade, and free from the brown 

 tints found at times in otherwise good specimens. The other 

 pens were also more or less attractive, and the class was de- 

 cidedly good. The Yellow-and-whites (five entries), were also 

 quite up to the average, and the young first-prize, not quite six 

 months old, was worthy of its position. The second-prize taker 

 was also good, well marked, and a promising Rabbit for seven 

 months. 'The Tortoiseshell (four entries), were of rare merit ; 

 and the doe, first in honours, deserved her position. She is 

 probably larger than most of her class in general, and in mark- 

 ing excellent. The second-prize specimen was a fitting com- 

 panion. The Black-and-white or Blue-and- white (five entries), 

 we considered a valuable class, and the first-prize as a six-and- 

 a-half-months specimen is by no means devoid of merit, both as 

 regards ears and general marking. The same applies to the 

 seven-months-old, second in rank, as a well-formed and promis- 

 ing animal, for if such positions are obtained when Rabbits are 

 not fully matured, there are great expectations for the future. 

 Of the Grey -and- whites, the prize pens were equal to their posi- 

 tion. For the first-prize seven-and-a-half-months specimen we 

 infer from the present an equally enviable rank at future ex- 

 hibitions. The remaining pens were valuable, and in some 

 points almost equal, probably; but the prizes were for all pro- 

 perties, which we think by far the best and most honest. -As 

 a whole, the Lops in their sub-division into five classes were 

 all good, and seldom if ever do we see better. The Himalayan 

 (seventeen entries), were a splendid class with two or three ex- 

 ceptions, and some pens were equal in size, or probably beyond 

 the average. This variety is uncertain as to its permanent fit- 

 ness to exhibit, yet only some four or five were moulting, and so 

 unfit for favourable comparison with their neighbours present- 

 ing the dark points, all-important for high positions. The first- 

 prize doe was an excellent specimen, large and uniformly marked 

 — a combination of excellences not always to be attained. The 

 second-prize doe is of great promise as a five-months-old speci- 

 men, and a first position, we think, will be hers ere long. The 

 feet in too many instances presented the grey or less desirable 

 shade ; most of them presented the acceptable appearance of ears 

 and nose. 



The Angoras (seven entries) were scarcely equal towhatwe have 

 seen. Some were moulting, and consequently void of that fine 

 fleecy silk-like wool so desirable, yet there were some good pens. 

 The doe of Mr. "W. Wliitworth (the largest exhibited) was too 

 good to escape notice, and when in full wool must present a 

 magnificent appearance. Some others scarcely presented the soft 

 curly quality of wool so desirable, yet were well-formed and 

 tolerably lai-ge animals. The " nice " Dutch (ten pens) were as 

 varied in points of marking as in colour. The first-prize, a Grey 

 doe, is a neat specimen, and the most perfect in all points. A 

 Blue buck was of sufficient merit to take the second prize. A 

 Black, a Lemon colour, and also a Yellow or Light Fawn of 

 large size, were exhibited, were all of great merit, and the class 

 generally was decidedly good). 



The Silver-Grey (eight entries)- was with one or two exceptions 

 a valuable class, so general in the silvering — that brightest clear 

 shade — to the very tip of nose, arid large in size; a combination 

 of these two essential points must insure a high position, and 

 such excellence was evident in the doe, the winner of the first 

 prize and cup for the best Rabbit in the Show, Lops excepted. 

 Mr. S. G. Hudson's eight-months-old doe was a valuable sharer 

 in the honours', being well silvered, larger than many we find. 

 The others were good but smaller, and one or two exhibited will, 

 when matured, we doubt not come to the front. 



The Any other variety class, eight entries, presented a magnifi- 

 cent specimen of the Patagonian, a buck, also an equally good 

 Belgian Hare doe. For shade of fur, size, and general form we 

 seldom, if ever, have seen more perfect specimens. We regret 

 that there was no class for that useful Rabbit the Belgian, and 

 trust the future schedule will include one. The pretty Siberians 

 were an agreeable contrast to the Self-coloured specimens de- 

 scribed ; and a Polish Rabbit was'also found in this class. The 

 Selling class, thirteen entries, contained a Yellow-and-white 

 Lop buck first, and that deservedly, and a Belgian doe second. 

 The other pens were good, and far above the average of this 

 class. 



PECKHAM PIGEON SHOW. 



The South of England Pigeon Society held their first Exhi- 

 bition of Homing and Fancy Pigeons at the Rosemary Branch 

 Assembly Rooms, on the 6th and 7th inst. 



The names of the Committee are generally known in connec- 

 tion with the Homing variety, and their friends on this occasion 

 mustered very strongly, the Homing birds in numbers exceed- 

 ing all the other varieties combined. Many of them belonged 

 to members of the Society, and were not entered for competition, 

 their owners being quite satisfied with the admiration they 

 created, and appearing to feel great pleasure in relating the 

 history of the travels of some of these wonderful birds. The 

 Judge's task in connection with these classes could not have 



been easy, and we are pleased to record that his awards were 

 received with general satisfaction. The common practice of 

 liberating the birds was adopted in one of the classes. 



Of the other varieties there was a good entry of Dragoon?, 

 the birds being of a quality that would have been creditable to 

 a Show of much greater pretensions. The Jacobins and English 

 Owls were also deserving of attention. In the latter classes the 

 first and second-prize birds were entered at the small price of 

 one guinea — bargains which were quickly caught at. 



The Show deserves better support than it appears to have on 

 the Friday, and we are pleased to learn that at the reduced rate 

 on Saturday the attendance was much larger. The general 

 arrangements were satisfactory; possibly had the tables been a 

 little higher the birds might have been seen to more advantage, 

 as the continuous stooping to examine their properties becomes 

 irksome and tiring. In other respects nothing was left to be de- 

 sired; and the Committee, which includes the names of Messrs. 

 Sparrow, Burlington, and other veteran supporters of flying 

 birds, must feel a great satisfaction in finding these recent out- 

 casts now absorbing so much attention, and occupying such a 

 prominent position in a Pigeon show. 



A PIGEON FANCIER'S SECOND VISIT TO 

 ■ BIRMINGHAM. 



Seven years — just seven, a good portion of man's short 

 life — have passed since, for the first time, I saw Birmingham 

 and its famous Show, known all over the United Kingdom. I 

 then wrote a couple of papers entitled " First Impressions of 

 Bingley Hall." Now seven eventful years have rolled over, 

 eventful in the great world of statesmen and in the small world of 

 poultry fanciers, and I again bend my way towards Birmingham 

 — " mother Birmingham," for there — was it not in 1846 ? — the 

 very first poultry show was held ; and the old dame still holds 

 up her head, though she may perhaps be heard to say, " Drat 

 that Crystal Palace. Think of the upstart beating me ! " Still, 

 "mother Birmingham," we respect you, and we pay to you all 

 dutiful regard. So, slightly parodying Lord Macaulay, I say — 



" Oh Birmingham I oil mother Birmingham ! to whom the fanciers pay 

 A fancier's heart, a fancier's life, take thou in charge this day." 



But I am not there yet, and oi course it will rain on this im- 

 portant Monday, December 2nd. It has been raining for weeks 

 — so great and continuous the rainfall with us in the west, that 

 this was iusertedin a Bristol paper, " Remarkable weather. — No 

 rain fell in this city on Tuesday last." But Monday comes, and 

 it does not rain— think of that ! I start, then, with a more 

 cheerful atmosphere around me ; but, though not raining, the 

 rain has left its "watermark" on the country— floods both sides 

 of the railway in parts; and when I get to Oxford nothing but 

 floods for miles. I wonder Oxford men boast so about their 

 alma mater. Why, I never saw the water out near my Cam- 

 bridge to such an extent. But then, Oxford men will brag to 

 the end of the chapter. They cannot get over King's College 

 Chapel, Cambridge, being superior to anything they have in 

 Oxford. Train late : of course it is at the time of the great 

 Show. " All owing to the Birmingham luggage," says a cross 

 voice at Leamington station. But when the bright clay, for no 

 rain, is beginning to grow dull and misty (for is it not Novem- 

 ber, when bright~days must be brief days ?) I enter Birmingham. 

 Grand station this at Snow Hill, and grand hotel to match. 

 Soon I am trudging along the black, miry, busy streets of the 

 great midland metropolis. There is the Town Hall with its 

 Athenian look, but no Athenian sky above it; there's the turn 

 to Bingley Hall, here 's the entrance. The cattle are lowing, the 

 cocks are crowing within, and now and then the Geese set up a 

 chorus of cackling, and the Ducks give the time in quacks. 



I note improvements in the seven years, chiefly that a narrow 

 gallery runs all round the poultry part, and in that gallery are 

 the Pigeons, instead of being in part of a gallery round the 

 cattle. Looking down, the poultry are seen row after row in 

 cross rows beneath me : this is the chief improvement. In 

 numbers, too, there is advance. In 1865 there were— I quote 

 from memory— 315 pens of Pigeons; now there are 389 pens. 

 But is it possible that I see the old wooden whitewashed pens 

 with only iron-bar fronts? In these days of galvanised wire 

 cages, and specially of the elegant beehive cages, oh ! mother 

 Birmingham ! you must be a holder-on to old-fashioned ways 

 with a vengeance. Mr. Billett must come and improve you, for 

 wood is very heavy-looking. Now, one had the Palace Show in 

 one's very eyes still, so that, in spite of the proverb " Compari- 

 sons are odious," I could not help comparing the two. First, 

 the numbers are fewer, but a good fancier says the birds are 

 better. Another says, " No such thing. The Palace is the Show, 

 and will be the grand Show for ever. Birmingham loas, but 

 the Committee offered no cups, and so the Show has suffered. 

 There are not even so many birls as at the summer Show." 

 How are such statements so opposite to be reconciled ? I think 

 easily. In some classes, notably in the Short-faced Beards and 

 Balds and other Tumblers, Birmingham beats the Palace, in 



