Plymouth Rocks. 
199 
"About the same time as Mr. Thonemann's start saw the establishment of Messrs. Lucas and Co.'s stud 
at Lilydale. The firm consisted of Mr. E. H. Bardwell, Mr. W. Lucas, and, later, Mr. J. W. Siddall. For 
some years they imported very largely, and must have spent a lot of capital towards improving the breed, as 
they brought out some splendid birds, among others tlie only cock of English breeding that I considered a 
better Show bird than ' The Czar.' This bird was not such a grand-coloured one as the latter, being a shade 
too dark, but very evenly marked, and of grand bone, constitution, size, and type, with magnificent-shaped 
strong legs ot the brightest orange colour, and being so good in those points in which most English birds were 
deficient made him especially valuable. He was rather unfortunate at Shows in this country — a partial loss of 
sight, which sometimes affected him, accounting for his defeat on one or two occasions where otherwise he 
would have won easily. The same firrri were the importers and owners of the Champion hen of '88 and '89, 
bred by Stacey (Eng.), a big, massive hen, rather on the dark side, but a hard one to beat. They also offered 
Mr. Stacey 20 guineas for the Dairy winning cockerel in his yard before going to the Show. I fancy this was 
in 1890. Had he not won at the Dairy Show the firm would have got the bird ; and this win turned out to 
be a rare loss to Australia, as this bird proved to be the Champion of Great Britain, and for over two seasons 
had an unbeaten record at the principal Shows of the Old Country. When Messrs. Lucas and Co. retired, 
Rocks lost a good supporter in the Show pen, as the firm's location was admirably suited to the recjuirements 
of the breed, and their birds were always shown in capital Show condition. 
" In '89 or '90 Mr. J. L. Anderson, of Geelong imported a consignment, bred, I believe, by that 
veteran Fancier, the late Mr. Henry Beldon, the hens of which, taken as a whole, were the best for colour 
we have yet got from EngKsh breeders, being similar to American stock — viz., blue in the dark barring, 
instead of nearly black, like the generality of English blood. The cock was also a fine Show bird, not quite 
equal in colour to the hens, but left some very good coloured stock. About the best of his get was ' Beldon 
Boy,' which, under Mr. Huggins, at Essendon Show, in 1891, as a cockerel, won second to Champion 
' Bolivar,' in a class of 25 cocks and cockerels. Mr. W. G. Whicker, of Diamond Creek (Vic.) bred this 
young bird, having secured the original importation from Mr. Anderson. 
"The Essendon (Vic.) Show of 1891 will long be remembered by Fanciers as the finest exhibition 
of Barred Rocks yet penned in Australia. Old and young had to compete against each other, there 
being only two classes. The first seven cockerels were a wonderful lot, and, for the number, have 
not been approached at any Show since. They beat several noted imported cocks, and though I had the 
great pleasure of breeding six out of the seven, I tliink Fanciers who saw them will acquit me of being 
egotistical in the matter if I particularise them here, as a man might go on trying for fifty years and 
never again expect to breed such a half-dozen chickens in one season. At the top of the class, and 
champion for the best Rock in the Show (thus beating his dam, ' Champion Pet ') came ' Champion 
Bolivar.' He was a wonderfully early matured bird, then only eight months old, of great size, and a ' true 
blue ' in colour. He won nine guineas' worth of trophies right out at this Show, and the same year won 
first cockerel class, V.P. and D. Exhibition Show, and first cockerel class at the Royal. Mr. W. G. Whicker's 
' Beldon Boy,' referred to previously, was second, a beautifully barred blue bird, but not up to the others in 
size or bone. Mr. Geo. H. Pilley, of Kanumbra Station, bought this youngster, and mating him with big- 
boned pullets, carrying a lot of Poore blood, produced some very good cockerels the following season. ' The 
Rake ' was third, a bird of magnificent type (this could hardly be otherwise, considering his dam was old 
' Champion Empress '). He had a back like a Clydesdale, and was pretty well as wide as he was long. 
Messrs. Franklin Bros, bought him from me at this Show, and afterwards won third to Champion ' Skipper 
Hall ' and Champion ' Bolivar ' with him at Geelong. In their stud he proved a great success, being the 
progenitor of the Champion cockerels of 1893 and 1894, and Mr. Maxfield's present Champion 'Wonder.' 
' The Masher ' was v.h.c. or fourth. His dam was ' Eve,' a pullet I bred from the Poore strain on both sides. 
This cockerel was very large, and had an immensely wide and deep breast, but inclined to carry his tail too 
high. Mr. Maxfield bought him during the Show. ' The Dude ' was h.c. or fifth. His dam was also from 
the Poore strain. He was a big, but late maturing youngster, rather on the dark side. At my sale the 
