KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



125 



and knowledge — tell me that no really good and 

 true-bred gold or silver Poland is without the 

 beard. Mr. Baker, being recently asked by a 

 friend of mine how it happened that a few 

 persons condemned the beard of Polands, signifi- 

 cantly replied, 'Ah, because they know nothing 

 about it.' This gentleman, whose experience 

 and knowledge will hardly be doubted, writes me 

 that on the Continent (as in Holland, France, &c.) 

 all the best and really pure Polands have beards] 

 and emphatically states his opinion that they 

 should have. My own observation and ex- 

 perience quite confirm this. I have recently 

 had Polands from the Continent, Ireland, and 

 other parts, and in all cases the beardless fowls 

 were miserably inferior to the bearded ones — 

 inferior both in carriage, plumage, and shape 

 itself; their top-knots being comparatively small, 

 their necks thin and spare, their gait and deport- 

 ment wanting in the pomp and circumstance of a 

 fine and true Poland. Nay, so evident were 

 these deficiencies, that, in every instance, I could 

 at once select a bearded from a beardless Poland, 

 where the throat itself was not visible. Pos- 

 sessing at present both the bearded and the 

 beardless sorts, I am impartial in my opinion ; 

 but from observation and reflection, I feel con- 

 vinced that the beard of gold and silver Polands 

 is a natural — aye, and (in them) a really 

 becoming appendage; it entirely comports with 

 the tout ensemble of the Poland — it is in keeping 

 with his magnificent top-knot — with his large, 

 full, thick, and long neck — his long, flowing 

 hackles, and with his general dashing and de- 

 bonnaire deportment. It is highly probable that 

 the beardless Poland is a crossed and mongrel 

 bird, originally produced between the Poland 

 and the spangled Hamburgh fowl; and in color 

 of plumage there is much similarity. A thorough- 

 bred bearded Poland ever produces bearded pro- 

 geny. Out of forty chickens reared this year, 

 all are bearded. On looking over the chickens, 

 bred from beardless silver Polands, I find that 

 not a few of the cocks have the double or rose 

 comb of the silver-spangled Hamburgh. I have 

 but just seen this, and surely it is 'confirmation 

 strong ' of the opinion just expressed, that beard- 

 less Polands are a mongrel breed. I have this 

 year crossed the bearded with the beardless 

 Polands, cock with hen and hen with cock, and 

 the result is, in by far the greatest majority of 

 cases, that I have spoiled all; most of them still 

 have some beard, but are ruined in all other points 

 as in small top -knots, thin necks, &c. ; but in a 

 very few cases there is the smooth face, with a 

 tolerably large top -knot, and the full neck." — 

 I have sent you the above (which I have slightly 

 abridged) in order to raise a question, the dis- 

 cussion of which in our Journal will be hailed 

 with delight, — Thomas D., Seven-oaks. 



[Dr. Horner is a very sensible man; and we 

 are very pleased to register his name in our 

 columns. We have been in correspondence with 

 him on former occasions.] 



Habits of the Pigeon. — In our Journal, my 

 dear Mr. Editor, there is an admirable article 

 by Charles Waterton, on the " Dovecot Pigeon." 

 I have been reading it with delight — delight 

 hardly inferior to that which I feel in perusing 



the articles which proceed from your own pen 

 [Gently, Mademoiselle]. I mark well, what Mr. 

 Waterton says about the strong attachment 

 shown by pigeons towards their cot. It is no- 

 toriously true ; still, that there are some excep- 

 tions to a general rule, I shall prove, for I can 

 tell of at least one pair of pigeons that do roost 

 away from their cot at night. They are in my 

 possession at the present time. I had them taken 

 young from the nest, and reared them by hand. 

 Their parents had the range of a large dove-cot, 

 and lived in social harmony with a large family 

 of other pigeons, of their own kind ; the whole of 

 them being at full liberty to fly where they would. 

 When my birds could feed themselves, I treated 

 them to a house of their own. When set at 

 liberty, they kept " at home " the greater part of 

 the day, as well as using their house for a sleep- 

 ing apartment at night. This they continued to 

 do for some time; but on a sudden, they would 

 only come to their house in the day time, persist- 

 ing, as they do still, never to sleep in it! They 

 roost on a small piece of iron in the wall, quite 

 uncovered, and exposed to wet and cold. If it 

 be hot, they perch during the day in a shady 

 tree. In the cool of the evening, before retiring 

 to roost, they enter our family dwelling, and 

 search till they have found us all. They then 

 fly on our shoulders, or trot out with us round 

 the garden, making themselves perfectly " free of 

 the house." In truth we love them, and they 

 know it. Affection on our part begat love on 

 theirs ; and the compact is held sacred. Can you 

 throw any light upon this? — Leonora, Leeds. 



[A heart like yours, Leonora, would tame 

 any thing — pigeons of course included. That 

 part of the question is easily disposed of. The 

 cause of your birds forsaking their dormitory at 

 night, is their having been visited by one of those 

 domestic nuisances (real "vermin"), a cat. 

 " Once caught (or nearly so) twice shy." The 

 instinct of pigeons, in this respect, is remarkable. 

 We very much question if they will ever again 

 be induced to enter that house, while it stands 

 where it does. Invite us down " specially " to 

 look to this for you. We will rid you at once 

 of all the cats. In our early days, we kept 

 pigeons by the hundred. We can give you very 

 valuable information about them. We wait your 

 bidding, fair lady.] 



Painted Wires of Bird Cages. — Mr. Editor — I 

 have painted my bird cages inside, according to 

 the advice given by you. I have also painted 

 the wires of the cages. This you did not advise. 

 I have gained " experience " by my folly ; for I 

 have lost a very fine blackcap. Let it be a 

 warning to others. My " fairest flower " told 

 me, with all gentleness, I was doing wrong not 

 to be guided by you. Still I was bent on having 

 my own way, and had it; with what benefit, I 

 have told you already. — Zigzag-. 



[Your "angel of life" was right. You were 

 quite wrong. The paint not adhering to the 

 wire, which was non -absorbent, was pecked off 

 by the bird, and eaten. Hence his death! 

 Never keep birds where painting is going 

 forward; and never put them into a newly- 

 painted cage. The "warblers," in particular, 



