November 30, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 515 
of a Dorking, though past his prime. The Silver-Greys generally 
were superior to those at the Palace. The winning cockerel (Mul¬ 
ligan) was a good all-round bird though slightly ticked on breast. 
We noticed a failure in depth of colour on breast in the hen and 
pullet classes. The cup here went to Mr. Smalley for a pullet of 
pure colour though hardly as clear on feet as we could wish. In the 
variety classes most of the prizes went to Whites, which we thought 
very inferior. 
Cochins numbered over four hundred pens. In the Buffi classes 
Mr. Tomlinson carried off three out of the four firsts—namely, those 
for cockerels, hens, and pullets. He also took third for pullets. His 
winning hen and pullet were models of Cochin shape; the latter 
held the same position at the Palace, but has improved since then, 
being now more even in colour. The other winning hens were also 
grand birds; and Mr. Proctor’s second-prize pullet is, we think, the 
bird which held the same position at the Palace, and which we much 
admired there. We could not endorse the cockerel awards of first 
and second ; both are tricolor birds, a type which we hoped had been 
banished from the prize lists. Mr. Proctor’s fine cockerels which we 
have previously commented upon stood third and fourth, and once 
more did not get their due. Mr. Percival’s grand old bird, which 
won the cup at the Palace, here took the cup for best Buff cock or 
cockerel, and the cup for the best Cochin in the Show. The cup for 
Partridge cocks and cockerels went to Mr. Tomlinson for an old bird, 
good in most points though rather small. We almost preferred on 
this latter account Mr. Nettlefold’s winning cockerel, whose chief 
fault was coarseness of texture of comb. The Palace cup cockerel 
was here if we mistake not only v.h.c. He now shows a patch of 
brown under his throat. A great feature of the Cochin classes was 
the extraordinary beautiful Partridge pullet to which the cup went, 
the only exhibit sent by her owner, Mr. Thorpe, hitherto little known 
in the poultry world. She is strikingly large and massive, with 
splendid feathering, and her marking is throughout nearly per¬ 
fection. Her only fault is one wing being slightly slipped. Priced 
in the catalogue at £30, she was run up to thirty-four guineas at 
the auction. The winning hen was also a really fine bird in all 
points, though not so exceptionally well marked as the pullet. In 
Whites as usual Mr. Darby is amongst the winners. In cocks, 
however, he is beaten by his own champion of last year, which has 
twice since then changed hands at high figures, and here takes the 
cup for Whites. He stands second with a bird which is not quite 
out yet, but may later on take premier position. The grand old 
Palace cup hen is here to the front once more, though showing signs 
of wear. The cockerels are not so good as we have seen them in 
former years though the prizewinners are of considerable merit, and 
the same remark also applies to the pullets. The first (Darby) is 
beautifully shaped and in splendid condition, but wants size. We 
could not understand why Mr. Chase’s pullet was passed over. In 
Blacks nearly all the firsts fall to Mr. Darby, though we must say 
that we do not think his present birds quite so magnificent as his 
Blacks of a few years ago, notably those which he sent to the Paris 
Exhibition in 1878. 
Langshans had forty-seven entries in four classes. The winning 
cock (Oliver) was large and glossy, but wanted depth of chest. The 
first cockerel (Bush) was extremely biilliant in feather, though carry¬ 
ing a somewhat large tail. The cup went rightly to the first-prize 
hen (Mrs. Bennett), a really fine bird. We only remember to have 
seen one better, and that, if we remember rightly, came from the 
same yard. Hens and pullets alike show a waviness of comb which 
is somewhat of an eyesore to a fancier’s eye. 
Crete Cceurs were again not numerous, but, as at the Palace, the 
winners were of very good quality. Captain Turner again took three 
firsts, but the cup was awarded to a very beautiful pullet shown by 
Dr. Jackson. 
Houdans had not as liberal a prize list as at Sydenham, and showed 
a falling-off in numbers, being only seventy-four as against ninety- 
six. Here we think the Birmingham Committee might fairly show 
more liberality. The cup again went to Mr. Marx’s grand bird. 
Second (Wingfield Stratford), and third (Thomas) were also good. In 
cockerels Mr. Thomas’s bird which we admired at the Palace was 
justly placed at the top of the list ; second went to the Palace third 
(Mrs. Lane). In hens our selection at Sydenham (Turner) was rightly 
placed over Mrs. Lane’s winner there, which here came third. The 
winning pullet also came from Mr. Turner’s yard. The Houdans 
were on the whole good classes, though hardly so even throughout as 
at the Palace. 
La Fleche had here two classes, but were not particularly good. 
Mr. Calvert and Mrs. Ricketts each won a first. 
Spanish were neither so numerous or so good as at the Palace. 
The cup went to an old cock (Street), somewhat smoother in face than 
we have seen lately. The same exhibitor also stood first with a good 
hen, and with a pullet of nice quality of face though somewhat 
narrow over the eye. The winning cockerel (Wheadon) though good 
was not up to some we have seen this year. 
Andalusian cocks and cockerels w T ere the poorest classes we re¬ 
member to have seen. The winning cockerels, though good in other 
points, had combs which were too heavy to be carried properly. The 
hens and pullets were better. Mr. Boissier and Mrs. Wilson respec¬ 
tively were the winners with birds very even both in ground colour 
and lacing. The seconds were equally good in lacing, but somewhat 
mixed in colour. 
Leghorns were shown in pairs, an arrangement which apparer.t’y 
did not suit the exhibitors. The Palace winning Brown hen mated 
with a fair cock was in the first-prize pen. There very only five 
entries. Whites were more numerous, having twelve pens. Here 
again the Palace hen stood first, her companion being, we believe, 
the third cock. Mr. Fraser’s beautiful cockerel here looked out of 
sorts, and was thrown by an inferior mate. 
Minorcas had but three entries. Mr. Boissier’s chance was spoiled 
by the ill treatment his pullet received from her companion. 
Polish, though with two extra classes, fell some fifteen short of the 
Sydenham numbers. The beautiful White-crested were weakest, 
having but eight entries in four classes. This is indeed a pity, for 
they are about the most beautiful of the Polish varieties. Messrs. 
Partington, Unsworth, and Evans Broad showed good birds. Mr. 
Huish headed the list in Golden-spangled cocks and cockerels with 
two fine crested birds, probably father and son ; they had much 
general resemblance to each other, and a common fault—a tendency 
to roundness of back. The difference in position perhaps contributed 
to the discrepancy between the awards here and at Sydenham. The 
winners in these two classes there were here passed over. The 
Palace cockerel especially was much admired for his beautifully 
coloured crest. The winning hen had a very distinctly spangled 
breast and large crest; second laced, but failing somewhat in parts. 
Both winning pullets had good crests and were well marked. In 
Silver cocks the Palace winner was again passed over. First (Adkins) 
wonderfully spangled on breast, with a fine crest, but rather dark at 
base of hackle ; second same position at Sydenham. The cockerels 
were well selected and good in all points. The cup for the breed 
went to the first hen (Huish). This award we could hardly endorse, 
as the marking, though very distinct, was a something between 
spangling and lacing, and failed on the hackle. Second (Adkins), 
though rather too dark, had a good crest and well-marked tail. The 
first pullet (Adkins) was a beautiful crested bird cf the medium type 
of marking ; second only moderate. 
Black Hamburglis by far pass the other breeds in numbers, in fact 
they nearly equal the other four put together. The class for cocks 
was not a good one. In cockerels Mr. Copeman took the cup with a 
very neat bird in brilliant condition, though slightly stained in lobe. 
The same exhibitor stood first for hens, and cup, second, and third 
for pullets, with very good birds ; Mr. James Long being second in 
the hen class with a bi d of the true type in brilliant condition. The 
cup Golden-pencilled cock (Cannan) was a wonderfully fine old bird, 
slightly stained in lobe. The first-prize Silver-pencilled cock (Fielding) 
had a pure white lobe and good comb and tail. Mr. Fielding’s win¬ 
ning Golden-spangled cock was rather dark on breast, and with a 
pink tinge on lobe, but well deserved his position. The cup Silver- 
spangled cock (Ashwell) was a beautifully spangled young bird, perhaps 
a trifle too dark on breast and somewhat defective in colour of lobe. 
The Golden-pencilled cup hen (Fielding) wrns very finely marked 
throughout, as was also the first-prize Silver-pencilled hen (Beldon). 
The winning Golden-pencilled hen (Beldon) failed a little in wing¬ 
marking, whilst second was too dark in breast. The cup Silver- 
spangled hen (Mrs. Harris) was dull in colour and somewhat sooty 
in tail, and might, we thought, have given place to second (Beldon), 
a very good all-round hen. 
Plymouth Rocks were shown in pairs. They looked better than at 
the Palace. First went to Mr. Bradbury for a nicely barred pair, 
though the cock was rather light in colour of legs. Second (Astley), 
the cock bad in comb, with a nicely marked hen. 
Sultans and Silkies were small classes. The winning pens in the 
former were rather yellow. The class was not as good as we have 
seen it. Mrs. Rickett’s h.c. pair were the best in colour, though the 
hen was somewhat deficient in crest. Mr. Darby and Mr. Woodgatc 
stood respectively first and second in the Silky class wdth good pairs. 
The Countess of Dartmouth showed a red-combed pair ; but these did 
not seem to be admitted to competition. 
Game were numerously represented, and were of much higher 
quality throughout than at the Palace. Black-breasted Reds of 
course made large classes. The cockerels numbered sixty, and the 
pullets fifty-seven. Captain Heaton is the hero of the season in this 
breed. His Black Red cockerel is the winner of three cups, including 
the challenge cup for this year, and he also took the challenge cup 
for pullets. His winning cockerel is a very perfect bird, though he 
might be a trifle larger and more powerful-looking in head. Second 
here goes to the same exhibitor, while of the rest we preferred 1540 
(Lyon), passed over we believe through some error. Mr. Smith is a 
most able, painstaking, and conscientious judge, but'his movements 
were, we thought, somewhat hampered by there being so many 
present during the judging. We think that at Birmingham some 
means should be adopted of excluding visitors from the classes which 
the Judges are actually engaged upon. The cup Brown Red cock 
(Brierley) and the first cockerel (Warner) were wonderfully good birds, 
while the cup Duckwing cock (Carless) was remarkable for his very 
beautiful colour. The winning Pile cock (Lyon) was of good type, 
though not perfect in head. The cup Black-breasted Red hen 
(Brierley) was a wonderfully good old bird, and took the cup over 
Captain Heaton’s pullet, in consequence of the latter, though splendid 
in style, having a dark eye. The class of pullets was a wonderfully 
good one. In Brown Red hens the winner (Brierley) was a notable 
bird ; the same exhibitor’s cup and second pullet and Mr. Mercer’s 
third-prize one were excellent, and the class a remarkably good one. 
