200 
one hour and flfty-flve minutes. Very few inclined to 
go on — I remain, yours very truly, 
Haiikaway. 
RACING AT SPALDING. 
Sir, — Two matches took place near this place on Mon- 
day last, and excited considerable interest, both nags be- 
longing to gentlemen resident in the town. The first was 
a Steeplechase, about 2 miles over the farm of R. Mawby, 
Esq., junr., 25 sovs. each, II. I»Ys, and was won by — 
Monie Ponds “Brace” . Jst. 
Slender Billy “ Hayes ” . 2nd. 
Master Billy refused his fences, and his antagonist, ad- 
mirably piloted, won as he lilted. A Hat race was next de- 
cided between the same two tits for 5 sovs. ca. p.p., the 
same Jocks up, when the order of things was reversed, 
Monie Ponds succumbing to his more fleet adversary. 
The company were hospitably entertained bv Mr. 
Mawby, and everything passed off with eclat. The annual 
racing is expected to take place early in May, and bids fair 
to outrival all previous years. Talrot. 
MR. TIIOW’S BARRIERS. 
Sir, — T hese bounds Having shown three such capital days’ 
sport, will be my apology for venturing to make them public, 
though I fear I shall not be able to do them justice. 
Met on Tuesday 2Isf at Marbrough Common, tho field 
comprisingsome of tho first sportsmen of this neighbourhood, 
including the worthy innster, W. Trow, Esq., and son, the 
Earl of Stamford und Warrington, W. O. Foster, Esq., J. 
Hunt, Esq., &c., kc., kc. Found directly, scent bad, after 
some cold hunting gave her up ; found again at Broom, 
and had a very good day’s sport, the puce in some parts of 
it being very fast. 
Thursday, 23rd. — Met at Chadwick, the estute of F. T. 
RufFord, Esq. Found in tho first fullow field we drew, unda 
good one she proved. I do not know so much of the country 
as I could wish, but give you the best I can. Away she 
wont at a merry pace for the hills, doubled to the right to 
the Wild Moors, thence for Catshill, skirted the village, here 
she put her heud straight for the Lickey, running over the 
Woodrom Farm into a field adjoining the monument, boro 
she doubled to tho left, and after a wide ring, ran through 
Chadwick Wood, crossed the turnpike road, through tho 
Manor Farm, up the meadows for Chadwick Grainge, over 
the hills, crossed the Gannor Green, skirted Ell Wood and 
Uffraoor, where they killed her, after the best run ever seen 
with us. Time, two hours and twenty minutes. The worthy 
old squire, I am proud to say, being first up at tho death, 
and be states, that though ho has hunted nearly sixty years, 
this was the best run he ever saw. 
Saturday, 25th.— Met at Mr. J. Blakeway’s, the Merer- 
Farm, who gave us a hearty welcome. Found in a fallow 
near the house, but after some cold hunting gave her up, the 
wind being dry and acent so bad. Wc trotted ofF to Winter- 
ford, here we found a capital hare, and the scent improving 
as the day advanced, we bad a very good run, and killed ; 
and thus ended three capital days’ sport the greatest 
glutton might wish for. — Yours, etc., 
Stourdridge. 
GOLD. 
Mr. Editor, — T he following extract may ho interesting 
to tho readors of “ The Fired j” it is taken from the first 
volume of “ Cunningham’s New South Wales.’’ Speaking 
of a pretended discovery of gold, the words, “gold,’’ 
“scientific,” “anticipation,” “should be worked,” and 
“ very great man," ure put in italics. It may bo observed 
how keen and sharp his irony all comes back upon himself, 
and time has shown that the geologist was more to be relied 
on than Mr. Cunningham. 
“ An eminent minernlogicol dilettante who made a casual trip 
among us some years back, nearly turned the bit her to sober beads 
of some of our plodding colonists by tho valuably mines of gold 
ho predicted their lands to contain, from t lie rich specimens of 
that precious metal which ho picked up thereupon, even beforo 
lueir eyes, and upon spots, too, which they had paced over some 
hnndreds of times before without ever observing the like : on 
such different. principles are scientific eyes constructed! Peru 
was now considered a mere pauper warron in comparison to 
Australia; but while our Croesuses in anticipation were yet 
busied with their grave calculations ubout the inode in which the 
mines should he worked, and were passing days of care and 
sleepless nights in counting over their visionary wealth, the 
golden dreams wore suddenly dissipated by a certain ‘ Paul Pry ’ 
of a convict servant whispering in his master’s oar that ‘ lie seed 
the gemmun take the stone out of his pocket, drop it on tho 
ground, and then pick it up again ! ’ tho truth of which was 
amply demonstrated by a patch of paper pnsted upon its corner 
(overlooked before by the delighted possessor), proving it to be 
a specimen which tho ‘man of science ' bad originally extracted 
from one of Mono’s minoralogical cabinets. This pioco of 
scientific qunckorv, which the geologist had pluyed oil' in 
order to have himself looked upon as a very great man among 
us, occasioned many days’ amusement to the waggishly dis- 
posed ; but it’s to this hour a very sore subject to the ‘ lords of tho 
mines.’ ” 
W. F. C. 
Cambridge. 
SHANGHAI FOWL. 
Dear Sir, — I n answer to your correspondent, respect- 
ing the properties and characteristics of excellence of tho 
Shanghai fowl, I beg to offer a few observations. 
I consider the attributes of a Shanghai should be con- 
sidered by the following degrees;— firstly, form; secondly, 
size ; thirdly, featheriness ; fourthly, colour; — that is, I 
would sacrifice a certain amount of weight to form; 
feathcrincss to 6izc ; colour to fcathcriness ; and where 
the first three properties are perfect, it is a fourth considera- 
tion, whether the choicebe black, buff, or partridge-brown; 
at the same time, it is of importance the colour selected 
be of a decided and settled hue, and not a mixed feather. 
The head of both sexes should be short and broad ; face, 
vermilion red, and of fine texture ; comb, single, erect, 
and straight, standing in male about one and n-lialf inch 
irom base— in hen very low ; wattles, small; car-lobes, red 
— not mouldy or white ; beak, short, thick, and yellow ; 
eye, full and bright, but mild: in the hen the expression 
is strikingly maternal and confiding; neck, short, but 
stout at base; ncck-hacklc, full; breast, full and deep — 
indicative of sound constitutional vigour ; back and 
shoulders, broad and muscular, the former presenting to 
the eye a gentle rising slope toward the insertion of tail 
(diametrically opposed to the Malay); thighs, short, stout, 
und firm, held well apurt in due accordance to breadth of 
body, should be thickly and coarsely covered with a mass 
of projecting feathers, even to the elbow joints, and cover- 
ing a portion of their tips ; shanks should be short and 
THE FIELD. [Saturday, 
stout, varying from a pale yellow to a vermilion yellow. 
I prefer them well feathered, technically “boated," down 
the leg to the toes. Upon the paramount necessity of this, 
a contrary opinion is maintained by some few judges, — 
therefore "it cannot be considered absolute; but all allow 
the importance of the feathers of the pedal limbs resembling 
the plumage of the bird. Toes, four on each foot, but in 
gome very fine imported specimens, five may be observed; 
the former may, however, be considered the rule, the latter 
an exception.’ Wings, short, convex, and their points 
hidden beneath a portion of the saddle-hackle, which 
should be laden with a mass of feathers hanging like heavy 
foliage, fringing the thighs and stern. Tail feathers 
short, the tips only exposed to view, in scimitar-shape 
curves, and well-rooted in the stern. General feather, 
ample and full. Average size, full-grown cock, 10 lbs.; 
lien, 8 lbs. Carriage of the male, bold and dignified; 
although the body should possess a somewhat forward in- 
clination, the head itself cannot be too erect : the altitude 
of the hen is more decided in its forward bend, consequently 
the back and hinder parts are more elevated. Gait, sedate 
and measured, easy, but dignified. Do not, however, force 
them into flight, or their dignity will give way to awof'ully 
waddling plight. 
A superficial view will seldom, if it ever did, lead to a 
j nst appreciation of the Shanghai’s form. Their massive 
body, short heavy wing, the deep contraction underneath 
their crop, the feathers growing down the leg, even to the 
very toes (and more preferred where most the leather 
grows), form striking contrasts to our English fowls. 
Strong contrasts, great abruptness in some points, viola- 
tions of our European laws of symmetry — in others, strict 
adhesion to them— indeed, a general orientalism of style 
throughout, are the distinguishing characteristics of the 
Shanghai. 
Your obedient servant, G. Ferguson. 
22, Southampton-streot , Strand. 
TOP-RING FOR TROLLING. 
Sir,— Surely Flumen did not intend to say that the book 
referred to bv liiifi in last Saturday’s “Field ” contained 
a description of my top ring. I certainly understood him 
to say as much, and was fairly puzzled bow to clear myself 
in your eyes, and those of your readers, of endeavouring 
to palm the invention of another for that of my own, and 
of making your respectable journal the medium of such 
barefaced piracy. My friends might think it a most extra- 
ordinary coincidence, thought I ; but what would your 
readers think ! This evening I obtained the work, which 
speedily put my fears at rest. Tho ring there described 
has a pulley, certainly; but in other respects I do not find 
the slightest resemblance to my top. Most assuredly it is 
not the same ring as mine, as some of your readers might 
have been led to expect from Flumen’s letter. 
I must beg of him, however, to accept my thanks tor his 
recommendation of the work ; for I find several matters 
in it which none of the Angling Works I have seen have 
treated of in so practical a manner; that part of it which 
relates to fly-fishing for pike, for instance. 
I shall have much pleasure in letting Mr. Adams see 
mv top, if lie will let me know his address. 
'March 1st, 1854. 'AyitvQ. 
Sir, — Having obtained the work on Angling recom- 
mended bv “ Flumen,” I compared the representation of 
the top for trolling of “ 'A yttvg" as seen in your valuable 
paper, and that alluded to by “ Flumen,” and cannot see 
any resemblance. I herewith enclose a “fac simile” of 
the same for insertion, should you think it worthy of a 
place in your columns. By “ Flumen ” giving the name 
of the author of the work alluded to, he would confer a 
favour. I am, your’s, &c. 
Hamis Tiscator. 
Shrewsbury, March 2nd , 1854. 
[The sketch reached us on Friday, and therefore too 
late to nppeav in the present. number. — Eo.j 
Now that troops are steaming towards the seat of war, 
their officers may usefully wile away a few hours in study- 
ing this pocket vocabulary, which, just published by 
Messrs. Bradbury and Evans at the price of one shilling, 
bids fair, under the circumstances of the hour, to obtain a 
largo circulation. The* author has resided in Turkey, and 
compiled what cannot but prove of great service to tour- 
ists, as well as to naval and military men. 
The Art Journal. 
The part now issued as “ New Series, No. 63, vol. 6,” is 
before us ; and our agricultural friends may take our word 
for it, they will seldom find one more congenial to their 
especial taste than the present, adorned ns it is, in this time 
of war, by Landseer’s picture of “ Peace,” a well known one 
in the Vernon Gallery, and now engraved for the Art- 
Journal by Couseus, the figures only being done by L. 
Stocks, A. R. A. Among the other engravings are Rom- 
ney's” Bacchante,” well engraved by Hull, and wc have 
also Wilson’s “ Ruined Temple.” This is certainly a very 
excellent number. 
Sporting Magazine for March. Messrs, Rogerson and 
Tuxford, Strand. 
In addition to an engraving (ufler Herring) of the “ Pas- 
sions of tho IJor.-e,” and “ Mounds at Walk,” this numbor 
contains several very readable articles. Linton gives us 
the results of a lung pleusuot ramble among the wild deer of 
Exmoor, and The Dhuid flings his enuutry crayons aside, 
and bus an article entitled, a “ Week in Westminster Hull,” 
under the quaint motto of 
“ I sing 
Of lawyers with « tinge of copper, 
Quite professional and proper." 
The following extract describes the tenor of the excuses on ik 
S heriff- Tricking “Monnow of St. Martin.”— “E ach of Jk° 
circuits was represented by one of the judges, who went it i Q , 
summer, and now appeared armed with a largo brief, containin' 
the names of the gentlemen to be proposed, and all the letters 
excuse and medical certificates which bad been sent to him. f) 
judges seemed quite to enjoy this glimpse of their old counsel dnv 
und rose and read the certificates and commented on tho exeug.’ 
with a great deal of gusto and dry linmobr. Of course, nil th 
k notty points were referred to Mr. Gladstone, and his lordly assessor 0 
who hud plenty of sly fun poked at him by his old legal comrades’ 
So many on the list were excused or disqualified, or pul back for 
a couple of years, tlmt really sonic quiet country gentlemen, who 
perhaps hardly knew that they were on the list, must have' verv 
unexpectedly found ‘greatness thrust on them,’ and lind troubled 
dreams of javelin men and liveries, after reading their London 
paper on the ensuing Monday. The excuses were of the most 
varied kind, mid did great honour in some instances to the 
versatility of tho bucolic mind. Hud the writers of the latter 
only pictured to themselves one tithe of the merriment which 
their muling occasioned, they would have tossed ink and paper 
aside, and boldly prepared to meet their lato. One, for instance 
wished to bo excused, ‘because ho would have a great deal 
more money when his mother died;’ but as his learned proposer 
bad ‘enquired mid found that his mother was a very young 
woman,’ there was no escape for him. I hope she will pull out 
her cheque book in due season, and support the honour of tho 
family. Another rested his claim to relief simply on the grounds 
that ho ‘ was educating his children himself.’ This plea, how- 
ever, met with as little pity as that of a certain lord, who urged 
that because lie wua ‘ in waiting’ on Her Majesty, ho could not 
in roason be expected to perform Hie same office by lior judges. 
There were somo sad exposures of money difficulties. One poor 
lord bail been wholly ruined — a very sad case indeed. Chancery 
proceedings bad reduced another suitor for mercy, ‘ from several 
thousands to less than 500L a year;’ and another had been 
‘ obliged to put down Ins carriages and horses, mid nearly all 
his servants, in consequence of the discovery of a fraud in a will,’ 
from which he had derived a large annual income. The poor 
fellows could not have appealed to a more merciful tribunal, und 
such dark passages in life contrasted strangely with the forced 
excuses of men apparently in full vigour mid pucket. l'wo or 
three of tho ‘ forcers’ could only vow that they had ‘a deter- 
mination, of blood to the head, and could not sit in a crowded 
court.’ They nil tried to imply it, but one boldly said * that he 
was of a highly nervous disposition, and strongly recommended 
to avoid all excitement.’ I involuntarily pictured to myself a 
stout thirteen-stone gentleman, in a green coat with gilt buttons, 
und n checked handkerchief, writing this sad character of himself 
in his study, and then eettling with his groom whether Bob Bog 
or Clinker was to go on to the meet noxt day. Some of them 
may bo held ns they describe; but as the shrivealty is, after nil, 
no such very exciting and onerous affair, these symptoms were 
tacitly traced back, not to an unwonted activity in the jugular, 
but to a sudden sluggishness in tho purse vein, and met with 
very little consideration in consequent. There was one astound- 
ing mid elaborate certificate from a village apothecary, which 
dwelt largely on the patient’s ‘viscera,’ and was proceeding to 
admit the Council, step by step, to his mucous membrane, when 
Mr. Gladstone hurriedly Btruck in. and accepted the excuse. A 
militia officer also greatly distinguished himself, and fired off n 
brace of pleas. In the first, he quoted an Act of Parliament, 
chapter and verse, which declared that no militia-man ought to 
serve; but alas for this military jurist ! one of the oldest judges 
shook his head, and said that the act hod been repealed, ‘lie 
lias alsoanothcr ground,’ added the proposing judge, in a gravely 
comic tone, mid that is — ‘private and domestic matters of very 
great importance, which occupy a very large portion of my time.’ 
This set the whole court in a roar, in the midst of which tho 
unhappy warrior was pricked without more ado.” 
The. Nature, Symptoms, and Treatment of Consumption. 
By Richard Payne Cotton, M.D. John Churchill. 
A man is supposed to be able to read himself into any 
disease which is treated of in the book to which he gives his 
attention ; and yet we confidently recommend this treatise 
on consumption to the reading of every one of a reasonably 
strong mind, who may have any one near or dear to him 
in whom any suspicion of tho insidious disease exists ; and 
in so doing recommend it, we fear, to every strongminded 
man in the kingdom. 
The Fothergillian medal was awarded to the author of 
this essay, who is assistant- physician at tho Hospital fur 
Consumption, and these two circumstances cannot fail to 
lmvc their due weight in giving the book n value in the eyes 
of the profession. There is, however, a modesty of manner 
so consistent with truth and a careful investigation, and u 
freedom from unnecessary peduntry and technicality in the 
volume. 6o tliut its pages are rendered exceedingly serviceable 
to laymen. 
Dr. Cotton is able from bis ample experience, aided by 
the researches of others, to contradict many established 
dogmata in regard to this fatal malady ; among others, that 
which has asserted the female sex to be particularly subject 
to the ravages of phthisis; and although we think that this 
particular contradiction is to be received with some caution, 
because the author’s data are derived from un hospital expe- 
rience — a bad one forjudging of this particular fact — yet in 
most cases bo proves Ins opinions by the infallible argument 
of undeniable statistical facts. The important subject of 
cod-liver oil is attached with cave, und we are glad to find 
that Dr. Cotton’s experience coincides so largely with th 
general belief in its unquestionably beneficial effects. 
POULTRY. 
BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND COUNTIES EXHIBITION. 
The sixth great annual exhibition will be held in Bingley 
Hall, Broad-street, Birmingham, on Tuesday, Wednesday, 
Thursday, and Friday, the 12th, 13th, 14th, and loth of De- 
cember, 1854, under the patrnnageof his Royal Highness the 
Prince Albert. Mr. John Morgan, jun., is the Secretary, 
and the offices of the society aro at No. 38. Bennett's- hill, 
Birmingham. We have only room to-day for the regula- 
tions: — 
“The Judges will be empowered to withhold a prize or 
prizes in any of tho classes in which the specimens are of nn 
inferior quality ; but no additional prizes or medals will bo 
awarded, tho extended classification now adopted rendering 
any departure trom the prize list in this respect unnecessary. 
“ Tho ages of the chickens must he accurately stated ; and 
it is desirable that the acts of the other specimens should he 
included in the certificates, whenever this can he done* 
Chickens of 1854 cannot be shown in the clusses for fow 
above one year old. , 
“ Poultry exhibited by cottagers will in future be place 
together; and tho Judges will bo requested to award libera 
prizes to deserving specimens. No subscription wi'l 
required from por.-ous exhibiting as cottagers; hut ' 
Council require it to bo distinctly understood that tho lowi 
must bn then- own property and in their own possession. * 
separate form of certificate, on coloured paper, will be is-u 
for cottagers, who canuot exhibit in any of the reg 
