JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 19 
THE SCOTCH FANTAIL. 
A Scotch Fantail is all action and motion, in this consists its 
highest merit. Of course, the nearer its tail approaches the 
perfect English type the better, but anything like flatness of tail 
is not to be expected in it. The tail feathers are not so numerous 
or long, and as long as they are evenly set with no break in the 
centre some approach to the funnel-shape must be tolerated. 
The bird should be very small, little more than half the size of 
the English Fantail. A Scotch Fantail of really high and (as 
the fanciers call it), “ nervous ” carriage, when not busy feeding 
or on the nest, is ever walking on tiptoe, while the motion of the 
throat is so great that its whole body trembles. We must confess 
that we do not admire what we consider an exaggeration of this 
carriage. Birds are not infrequently seen which walk backwards, 
and even fall backwards as if in paroxysms when they attempt 
to fly ; their heads, instead of being thrown straight back till they 
touch the tail, are then twisted round in an inelegant fashion, 
and altogether give them an unnatural appearance. A large flight 
of Scotch Fantails all playing and trembling is indeed a quaint 
and pretty sight, and never fails to delight and amuse non¬ 
fanciers. Our beau ideal of a Fantail is, however, a combination 
of the two styles, such as is to be seen in the lofts and show pens 
of a few of the most successful admirers of the breed. Of course 
the two varieties have been greatly interbred both by those who 
know what they are about and by those who do not, but often to 
the loss of the best characteristics of both, or at least to their 
general confusion. It is not, however, impossible for an expert 
breeder to produce a strain with the smallness, elegance, and 
tremulous carriage of the Scotch variety, yet with tails almost as 
round and flat as those of the English. We have found better 
results to follow from the union of a very small Scotch cock and a 
good English hen than from the opposite alliance. Small Scotch 
hens are not infrequently indifferent breeders and mothers, or at 
least produce weakly offspring. The Indian strain to which we 
have before alluded has, we fancy, been bred into some English 
strains, which occasionally show traces of it. Its peculiarities 
are a peak at the back of the head and feathers on the legs. We 
do not admire these additions, especially as they are generally 
seen combined with heavy heads and necks. 
Now as to the colour of Fantails. To our taste there is none 
so pleasing as white, it seems the natural colour of the breed, for 
birds of other colours can very rarely, if ever, be found to come 
up in form to the excellence of the’Whites, and almost always 
bear traces of a cross in no remote generation. Be it observed 
that the white is not, like the white of fowls, liable to be tanned 
by the sun. Heat and sun in no way affects its purity, and 
Pigeons if kept in a clean place w-ith proper baths will always 
keep themselves clean. The nearest approach to perfect form 
which we have seen in other Fans is in the Blacks, which have 
long been cultivated in India or on the Continent. Blues there 
are too, but generally too large, deficient in shape of tail, and not 
of a bright blue, but too ashy a colour. All the Reds and Yellows 
which we have ever seen have been poor in tail, and not really 
good in colour. 
“ Saddle-backs ” are a curiosity. A small and fine strain of 
them is said to have been once imported, but whence nobody 
ever knew. They should be marked like Turbits— i.e., white birds 
with wings, all save the flight feathers, of one colour, as red, blue, 
or black. If very perfectly marked they would be attractive, 
but we cannot say that we have ever seen such ; they generally 
have coloured thighs, which just spoils what would be a sharp 
contrast. White birds, too, with coloured tails are occasionally 
seen produced by German breeders. Laced Fantails have all the 
web of their feathers disjointed like Silky fowls, and are more 
peculiar than beautiful. None of the sub-varieties after all equal 
the real White Fantail, and we know no variety which shows to 
better advantage when grouped in numbers. A fine collection 
of White Fantails is lovely. For two years at the Crystal Palace 
fanciers of the breed had a rare treat in the sight of the Rev. W. 
Serjeantson’s four pairs which won the cup for the best collection. 
Subsequently a ridiculous change in the conditions of this com¬ 
petition required the collection to consist of at least two varieties. 
Still at the Exhibition of the Peristeronic Society and in a few 
private lofts may such sights be seen. 
As a rule Fantails are hardy, good breeders, and careful parents, 
though we have at times found Scotch birds of very high carriage 
neglect their young when half grown. Everything against which 
they are likely to break their tails should be kept out of the loft 
and aviary. We may prevent disappointment by informing young 
fanciers, that though very perfect Fantails are always valuable 
from being few out of many, birds of mediocrity have no saleable 
worth, and a beginner must be content to consign all such to the 
kitchen.—C. 
VARIETIES. 
Death op Mr. John Hunter. —It is with much regret that we 
have to announce the death of Mr. John Hunter, author of “ A Manual 
of Bee-keeping,” and well known as a skilful apiarian. He expired 
from congestion of the lungs on Sunday last the 27th ult. at his 
residence at Ealing, aged 18. 
- Ryhope Poultry Society. —This Society will hold then- 
annual Show of Poultry, Ducks, Rabbits, &c., on the 2nd of August, 
on the property of Mr. Joseph Lee, between Ryhope and Sunderland. 
- The Potato Disease Committee.—A t the last meeting of 
the Parliamentary Committee appointed to inquire into the causes 
of the failure of the Potato crop, Mr. Robertson of Dublin was 
examined, and in reply to questions stated that he introduced the 
Scotch Champion potato to Ireland in 1877, when it was a rough 
potato of a floury nature. It was most prolific, and had given great 
satisfaction, and since its introduction had become much finer. It is 
undoubtedly the best potato for a general crop. The next best to 
that for resisting disease is the Skerry Blue. He did not approve of 
the American potatoes, and had not tried any Australian seed. Since 
the Champion potato was introduced it has very much improved. 
He thought the best means of preventing the frequency of potato 
disease is a matter for individual enterprise, and a grand field for the 
agricultural societies to take up and experiment upon, having the 
result periodically published for the benefit of farmers ; such experi¬ 
ments to be conducted by societies on Government farms if possible. 
He knew the “ Major Bowman ” potato. There was not much diffe¬ 
rence between that and the Champion. There might have been some 
spurious seed introduced into Ireland, but it had not come under his 
notice. The manure that in his experience was best for a potato 
crop was composed of sulphate of potash, nitrate of soda, and super¬ 
phosphate of lime. 
-Lectures on Apiculture. —Mr. Frank R. Cheshire, so well 
known to the readers of this Journal, has arranged to deliver a series 
of lectures at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens at South 
Kensington. The first lecture will be given on Tuesday next, July 
Gth, at 3.30 in the Council-room. Subject, “The Wonders of the 
Bee Hive.” It will be illustrated by living Cyprian, Ligurian, and 
black bees, and also appropriate models and large diagrams. These 
lectures are given gratuitously in the interest of apiculture, and will 
be open to all visitors to the gardens. Mr. Cheshire’s thorough know¬ 
ledge of this subject and his clearness as a lecturer cannot fail to make 
this course both interesting and instructive, and we hope all the 
lectures will be well attended. 
-The Show of the Royal Agricultural Society at Car¬ 
lisle. —The preparations for the reception of stock, implements, and 
other exhibits at this Show will be completed in another week. 
According to the regulations, all machinery, implements, and other 
articles, except carriages and exhibits in the “ seeds and model ” 
departments, must be arranged in complete order by the evening of 
Wednesday, July 7th. On the following day the Stewards and Judges 
will commence their inspection, and the trials will begin on Friday 
morning in some fields near Carlisle. The trials specially assigned 
for this year in competition for the Society's gold and silver medals 
are of implements and machines for the cultivation of the land by 
steam or other mechanical force. The gold medals can only be 
awarded for distinctly new inventions likely to be of practical use. 
In addition ten silver medals are offered for new implements exhibited 
at the Carlisle Show, and the Judges are also empowered to make 
special awards of medals for efficient modes of guarding or shielding 
machinery, especially when worked by steam, from contact with 
persons immediately engaged in attending to such machineiy while 
at work. Horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs will be admitted to the 
showyard on Friday, July 9th, and must all be in their places by foul 
o’clock on Saturday afternoon. The implement yard will be open to 
the public on Saturday, July 10th, and the entire Show on Monday 
morning, when the Judges of the stock will commence then voik. 
The prizes are of a total value of £5700. 
