164 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry ; 
otherwise — and when men of no character have been employed we have known cases ot giave 
suspicion — we would only remark that the fair and honest course is to make specific charges before 
the proper authority concerned, and not to make reckless insinuations which can neither be 
examined nor confuted. It is not from judges of doubtful integrity that the greatest dangers to 
the poultry fancy are likely to arise, but rather from the reckless and debasing rivalry which, 
without either honesty or courage, seeks to win as the sole object of keeping fowls, and sticks at 
no means to compass this paltry end. 
The combination of qualities required to make a good judge is very rare. Few men know 
many breeds well; and the difficulty of passing from one breed to another without the eye 
becoming biassed is very great to a beginner. The judge must have at least a competent 
knowledge of the classes he takes, both in their merits and their ordinary defects, from a show 
standard. He must be cool, and yet quick of eye; patient and deliberate, and yet decisive and 
able to make up his mind ; have an opinion of his own, and yet not be crochetty or fanciful ; be 
honest himself, and yet have a keen eye for the villanies of others. He ought, too, to be able 
properly to consider the circumstances of the day. This is a point little thought of by exhibitors, 
who seem to expect that decisions should always be alike ; but consideration of it would explain 
many otherwise puzzling decisions, and can never be omitted by a good judge. To put this matter 
plainly, it may be necessary to judge differently according to the different faults prevalent at the 
time; and we are not sure, when the time comes for a final review of the work done by such judges 
as the late Mr. Hewitt or Mr. Teebay, and for comparing fowls and the fancy as they left them with 
the standard of both when they began, if a large part of that work will not have to be credited 
to a judicious consideration of this point. For instance, supposing the case of a Cochin slightly 
poor in feather, but of marked merit otherwise. The proper standard of perfection no one doubts; 
but if vulture hocks were almost universal through too great a fear of this fault, such a bird as 
we suppose might with advantage have first prize, supposing him better than the rest in other 
respects ; whereas if bare shanks were becoming commonly shown, it might be equally desirable 
to pass him over, or only give him third or fourth place, in order to discourage the popular fault 
Other illustrations will readily occur to the reader. 
It will follow from the preceding paragraph that we do not consider judging rigidly by 
a printed Standard, “ book in hand,” as the highest ideal of judging ; and we think 
American fanciers especially have somewhat misunderstood the place of a “ Standard of 
Excellence ” in this respect. We were once much amused by reading how at a particular 
show in the United States, or Canada — we forget which — the judges were two days with 
their book before they could decide in a particular class ; and we cannot help saying that we 
would not have given much for their decision when the heavy task was done, taking into con- 
sideration the state of poultry knowledge in America at that day. Again, when it is proposed 
that judges shall actually add up the points of various pens, it must be remembered what time will 
be consumed in judging any large show, honestly, upon such a system. It is also, perhaps, a 
matter of doubt whether any absolutely perfect Standard — one which shall deal correctly with every 
case — can be devised ; so subtle are some of the features which mark off a first-class bird from all 
its competitors. 
Nevertheless, a correct “Standard of Excellence” may be of the highest use. It may on 
occasions help even a veteran judge ; it may be of incalculable assistance to the inexperienced, and 
with study and patience train a good judge ; it may maintain the fixed canons of a breed, and show 
the amateur what he has to aim at ; it can tell him exactly the real quality of his birds, and almost 
exactly his fair chance of winning ; and it can at least prevent the amateur public from being 
