348 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 28, 1881. 
cockerel and was third at Wolverhampton this year. Mr. Cannan’s 
third-prize bird was of good size, neat in head and good in feather, 
though a trifle narrow in saddle. The class, which numbered fifteen, 
contained several other first-class birds which have won their laurels 
elsewhere. The pair of hens shown by Mr. Cannan were wonderfully 
short in leg, large and shapely, but were hardly so good in marking 
as Mr. Comyns’ second and third-prize pairs. 
The Cochins were strong classes, especially the Buffs. Mr. Cannan 
took first with a squarely-made, heavily feathered, Lemon cock, very 
even in colour ; and the same gentleman also showed the winning pair 
of hens, which, however, were hardly so good in colour as the cock. 
The other prizes for Buffs went to Messrs. Mitchell, C. Brown, and 
S. Band ; and the first-named gentleman showed a wonderfully fine 
hen considerably ahead of anything else in the class, but thrown out 
by being matched with a very inferior one. 
In the class for any other coloured Cochin cocks Mr. Cannan stood 
first and second with large Partridge birds, the former, however, very 
coarse in comb ; Mr. Milner winning the third with a good White. 
Several other good Partridge birds were shown. Mr. Bobertson’s 
winning Partridge hens were shapely and very nicely marked. 
Second went to moderate Blacks, and third to a pen of Partridge 
containing one very good bird. 
The Game classes, as is usual in Dublin, were not numerous, and 
contained nothing very remarkable. The chief prizes went to Messrs. 
Cannan, E. S. Snow, and F. Robertson. 
Hamburghs had two fairly filled classes, which were better than one 
usually sees at this Show. The two firsts went to Mr. Cannan for 
Golden-spangled, the second for cocks to Mr. J. Aird for Golden- 
pencilled, and the second for hens to Mr. 8. Mowbray for Blacks. 
Polish, like the Hamburghs, were all shown togethei', and, as is 
usually the case, the Goldens had the best of it. The classes were 
large, and we think might fairly claim a division another year. 
Messrs. Milner, D. Sullivan, and Cannan won the prizes with large- 
crested birds, all, however, showing a considerable amount of white 
in crest. Miss Drevar showed some White-crests, which, however, 
were hardly as good as we have seen from her yards. 
The French breeds were not very largely represented, and the 
separate classes for La Flbche only produced two entries each. 
These were shown by Messrs. Field and O’Reilly, and were quite up 
to the average quality of the breed. Houdans were more numerous, 
but only of fair quality. Here two prizes went to Mr. Cannan, and 
the others to Messrs. Field and Rogerson. The first-prize Creve-Coeur 
cock was a large shapely bird, short in leg and in fine condition, 
exhibited by Mr. S. Hand. The second prize in this class, as also 
the first i i hens, went to Mr. Cannan for good average birds. The 
only other pair of hens shown were disqualified on account of their 
crests being dyed. 
In the Variety classes first for cocks was awarded to a good Malay 
of Mr. Henry, and second to a very neat Brown Leghorn of Miss 
Brinkley. The class for hens only brought out one entry of Malays. 
In Bantams Game alone had classes. These were fairly filled, but 
contained nothing of very special merit. 
The classes for Turkeys and Geese were only moderately filled, but 
some wonderfully fine birds were shown by Messrs. J. & W. Birch, 
R. H. Metge, and S. Mowbray, to whom the chief prizes went. 
The three classes for Ducks were well filled. The prizes for Rouens 
went to Messrs. Birch and T. Robertson, the drake shown by the 
last-named gentleman standing second on account of his great size, 
although much too light in colour. Messrs. Charley and D. Sullivan 
took first and second in the Aylesburys, similar honours in the Pekins 
going to Messrs. Birch and O’Reilly. The bills of the Pekins were 
hardly as rich in colour as we have seen them. 
Pigeons are never very strongly represented in Dublin, as the 
Society, being essentially an agricultural one, does not seem to think 
it worth its while to sufficiently encourage these classes. The most 
successful exhibitors were Messrs. G. A. Kilroy, H. Yardley, W. A. 
Montgomery, A. G. Shaw, J. H. Hutchinson (whose Trumpeters call 
for a special word of commendation), Loftie Stoney, A. Jennings, 
J. Milner, and Mrs. E. Seale, who stood first and second in a good 
class of Fantails. The prizes were awarded by Messrs. E. Hutton, 
R. IV. Boyle, and J. F. Bomford. 
TOY PIGEONS—ICE. 
Ice Pigeons are not mentioned in the old Pigeon books ; even 
Brent, with his great knowledge of “ Toys,” only gave a brief 
account of them. They have been imported from Germany, or at 
least through German dealers. In form Ice Pigeons are not 
striking, being very like the common dovehouse bird, though 
some of the best are feathered on the legs, and then resemble 
Swallows and Letz in appearance and flight. Their special 
beauty is their colour, which is mainly a delicate French grey. 
They have little of the ordinary iridescent breast colour of 
Pigeons, but appear to be powdered all over like the neck of 
“ powdered ” Owls, which gives them a peculiarly soft and frosted 
look, hence their name. Some are entirely self-coloured without 
any marking whatever, though there is always some difference of 
shade between the hard and soft feathers ; but the majority are 
marked, and that in very various ways. 
1, The type most usually seen have their wings barred, the 
bars being double, of narrow black and white lines—that is, when 
the birds have their adult plumage, for in their early days such 
bars are always confused and brown. It is worth while plucking 
one of the feathers which form these bars to see their beautifully 
accurate marking. 2. Others have a similar black and white line 
also across the tail. 3, A third variety have their wings spangled 
with black and white, their tail and flight feathers are then darker 
than the rest of their body. Birds so marked are called Siberian 
or Ural Ice, a fancy name we suspect, and not really connected 
with their origin. All these three varieties are seen with both 
clean and feathered legs. There is a little difference of opinion 
as to the colour of their eyes, some fanciers thinking dark, some 
gravel eyes the proper thing ; our own best birds have had the 
latter. 
Ice Pigeons, like most of the breeds more striking in feather 
than in form, should be seen in numbers to be appreciated. We 
once had a considerable flight of them, and the softness of their 
look when feeding together was very pretty; they contrasted, too, 
well with our flight of dark metallic-looking Archangels when the 
two lots were mixed. Ice Pigeons, like other varieties of the 
dovehouse Pigeon form, are excellent breeders and parents—at 
least we found them so, and in two or three years raised a con¬ 
siderable stock from a single pair, though we now no longer have 
them. Well-marked birds can be obtained at moderate prices, 
and so they are a variety suited to fanciers who cannot afford to 
begin with birds of the worth of a first-rate Jacobin, Owl, or 
Turbit. Hitherto at exhibitions they have always had to compete 
in “ variety ” classes with almost innumerable other breeds; and 
consequently we have often observed beautiful Ice Pigeons passed 
over for more startling novelties, especially the lately imported 
eastern frilled breeds. If, however, the Society for the Encourage¬ 
ment of the Breeding of German Toys, which we elsewhere notice, 
should actually be formed we may hope to see classes for this and 
many other pretty kinds, or at least for groups of them, which 
have some similarity of characteristics.— C. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Buff Cochins (Young Gardener ).—You will hardly get birds of any value 
for the price you name. We cannot recommend you to any particular breeder, 
as it is contrary to our rules. 
Ducks for Market (Mem ).—We cannot advise you to send the ducklings 
to London unless they are prime birds and well dressed. Can you not dispose of 
them to advantage nearer home ? The Aylesbury trade is a special one carried 
on by persons who understand the details of the business, and who know to 
whom they can send their birds with confidence. Single consignments are 
seldom so well treated as those from regular customers. 
Distinguishing a Cock from a Hen Pigeon ( Perplexed ).—The cock 
is bolder, more prone to fight, coos louder, is thicker about the base of the beak 
and neck. In playing he turns round and round, which the hen rarely does. 
The hen when cooed to twinkles her eyes, seems to swallow, raises the shoulders 
of her wings, and curtseys to the cock. Two cocks, also two hens, will occa¬ 
sionally pair, and go through all the actions of a pair as far as possible; but 
two cocks will also coo after other Pigeons. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE,LONDON. 
Lafc. 51° 32'40" N.; Long. 0° 8'0" W.; Altitude,lll feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain. 
1 
1881. 
April 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32° 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. . 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp - of 
Soil at 
I 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 17 
29.991 
49.8 
48.1 
X. 
47.4 
67.8 
38.5 
116.2 
33.0 
— 
Mon. 18 
29.909 
57.0 
48.6 
N.E. 
48.6 
68.3 
43.7 
120.5 
38.6 
— 
Tues. 19 
29.991 
40.0 
35.6 
N.E. 
49.2 
48.9 
38.3 
77.6 
35.7 
— 
Wed. 20 
29.883 
38.2 
35.0 
N. 
46.9 
45.6 
34. 
96.3 
31.2 
0.010 
Thurs. 21 
29.7(56 
39.0 
35.9 
N.W. 
45.0 
47.8 
27 3 
98.4 
24.3 
— 
Friday 22 
29.738 
44.7 
38.2 
N.W. 
44.7 
55.3 
, 2. 
116.9 
27.7 
— 
Satur. 23 
30.080 
44.4 
40.0 
N.W. 
44.7 
84.8 
112.6 
27.3 
0.084 
Means. 
29.920 
44.7 
40.2 
(.6 
55.0 
35.7 
105.5 
31.1 
0.094 
REMARKS. 
17th.—Very fine, warm, with bright sunshine, throughout; first butterfly seen. 
18th.—Fine, with bright sunshine; cold wind and much dust; high wind at 
night. 
19th.—Cloudy and cold. 
20th.—Overcast and cold ; slight showers of sleet; sunshine at short intervals. 
21st.—Cloudy and cold ; occasional very slight showers of snow, and gleams of 
bright sunshine. 
22nd.—Generally overcast, with bright sunshine at intervals ’ slight showers in 
afternoon. 
23rd.—Morning bright and sunny ; overcast in afternoon ; rain in evening and 
night. 
Temperature much below that of the preceding week. A cold week for the 
time of year.—G. J. Symons. 
