JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
514 
[ December 2, 1880. 
points relating to the subjects dealt with, a guide and help to 
fanciers, and a medium for good in its special sphere. 
BIRMINGHAM POULTRY AND PIGEON SHOW. 
This the oldest, and perhaps still the first of the leading shows, 
commenced on Saturday last. The entries numbered 30G2, being an 
increase of 1G4 over last year. The increase was chiefly in the 
Bantams, which numbered 105 as against 70 last year; the Ducks, 
which were 1G3 as against 137 ; and the Pigeons, which were 815 as 
against 702. The old wooden pens are now entirely discarded, and 
the birds were well arranged in wire pens, with the heavier varieties 
on the lower tier. The weather was singularly propitious, and light 
for judging the birds all that could be desired. The names of the 
owners of the prizewinners and other birds we think worthy of 
special note are given in brackets in our comments on each class, the 
residue of the birds noticed by the Judges being enumerated at the 
foot of our comments on the various classes. 
Brahmas. —Dark cocks.—A strong class of twenty-eight. First (Ling- 
wood) fine in size, shape, head, and fairly feathered, without hocks ; 
colour moderate, tail a trifle mean ; an easy win. Second (Hiss E. 
Russell) a very square-set, shapely, hocked bird, uneven in comb and 
a little yellow. Third (Norris) another very solidly made one, heavily 
hocked, rough in comb, and showing a little white in tail. All three 
winners had great width and depth. Fourth (Joyce) the Palace cup 
bird and the winner here last season, now out-classed, being too long 
in back and poor in saddle ; v.h.c. (Ansdell) not worth his card ; 
h.c. (Comyns) neat in shape and good in colour, but not out yet and 
coarse in comb ; v.h.c. (Norris) shapely but grizzled in hackle and 
white in tail. The other noticed birds were—h.c., E. Pritchard ; c., 
Hargreaves, Ivendrick (2), Runciman, Nock. Dark cockerels (forty- 
five) were a good class, but the winners were not, we thought, up to 
the Palace form, with the exception of the £5 cup bird (Lingwood), 
which was the Palace cup-winner. He here took an easy lead. The 
same owner’s h.c. was a large good bird, neat in head but imperfect 
in comb formation and slipped in wings; but for these defects he 
should have stood second. The actual second (Lady Gwydyr) was 
a neat bird, good in colour but small and narrow. We preferred the 
same exhibitor’s h.c., 31, a nicely made bird of good colour and neat 
head, but hocked. Third (J. F. Hall) a fair all-round bird, but too 
upstanding and rather coarse in comb. Fourth (Clarke) a neat bird, 
but we should have passed him over on account of his being yellow 
in colour and having hocks with no middle toe feather. Fifth (Ken¬ 
drick) one of the largest, and might have stood higher but for his 
large comb ; h.c. (Comyns) good size and shape, but too much comb 
and tail; v.h.c. (Percival) the Palace fifth, more cochiny than ever ; 
v.h.c., Davies ; h.c., (Hall) wants depth ; F. Bennett (2), A. Taylor ; c., 
Fowler, Green, F. Bennett. Dark hens (twenty-six).—First (Percival) 
was, if we mistake not, the second Palace hen ; she is nice 
in colour and foot feather and even in marking, but has rather 
a Cochin style of cushion. Second Mr. Norris’s well-known hen, 
having apparently been in the wars since her last appearance ; she is 
all round, perhaps, a better bird than the winner, but is rather long 
in back to please us exactly. Third (Pearson) a bird very much of 
the same type as first, not quite so clear in colour and rather longer 
in tail. Fourth (T. C. Peake) good in size and marking, but too long 
in back and brown on shoulder; h.c. (Comyns) a large evenly marked 
hen not quite through her moult; 198 (Lingwood) a model in size and 
shape, but brown in colour and coar-se in head ; h.c. (Taylor) a solid 
shapely hen ; v.h.c. (Kendrick) good in size, shape, and feather, but 
too brown; h.c., T. C. Peake (2), Mrs. Ward, Comyns. Dark 
pullets (forty-five) not a very grand class considering their numbers. 
First-and-cup (Norris) the Dairy and Palace winner, looking rather 
overdone ; she wins easily by size and shape. Her colour is now 
fading a little. Her faults in our eyes are a trifle too high a tail, 
with a cushion sinking a little before it reaches it, and a little indis¬ 
tinctness of marking on breast; her saddle is also rather heavy in 
marking. Second (Percival) a moderate bird of the silver-tipped style 
of pencilling on shoulders and back, good on breast, hocked. Third 
(Wheadon) good in shape and well pencilled on shoulders and back, 
hut very poor in breast and cushion marking, hocked. Fourth (Ling¬ 
wood) the second Dairy pullet, now showing more brown on back 
and top of breast than she did then. Fifth (Green) should have been 
passed over, though good in marking, for her Cochin cushion ; c., 
(F. Bennett) nice in colour and marking, but too slight and long in 
back ; 244 (h.c., Gwydyr) good in size, shape, and colour, but not 
quite distinct enough in marking. We should have put her in the 
list somewhere, and pretty high up too ; v.h.c., Kendrick ; h.c., Holmes, 
Comyns, Percival, Lingwood, Mrs. Ward ; c., Berry, T. C. Peake (2), 
Haworth. Light cocks (twenty-five).—First-and-"cup (G. H. Wood), 
very solid, broad in saddle, shapely, and short on leg, hocked ; comb 
rather large though even, stained a little on saddle ; well ahead of 
the second (Percival), the Palace and Hull winner we believe. Third 
(Hall) a fairly good one, diseased in feet. Fourth (Morgan) good 
shape but heavily hocked and too yellow ; h.c. (While) very good in 
size and shape, but heavy hocks and a shocking comb ; h.c. (Ive) 
might have stood higher but for foulfeather in saddle ; h.c., Holmes, 
Turner, Mitchell, Breeze ; c., Birch, Turner. Cockerels (thirty-nine). 
—First (G. H. Wood) good indeed in size and shape and fine in head, 
but rather warm in hackle and heavily hocked. Second (Lucas) very 
neat and stylish, good in colour, with striped saddle, nicely rounded 
hocks, but rather slight in build. Third (While) nice in shape and 
colour, moderate foot feather without hock, but rather coarse in comb 
and one wing out. Fourth (Breeze) a moderate bird with too much 
tail and foul in saddle feathers. Fifth (G. H. Wood) a good-coloured 
young one, very fine in comb and nice in shape, but heavily hocked. 
119 (Hall, c.) very nice in profile but narrow ; 122 (Norris, h.c.), fine 
in head: 136, v.h.c. (Onions), not worth his card in our view, as 
though good in shape he was coarse in comb and faulty in colour ; 
v.h.c., Haines ; h.c., Lingwood, While, Thorn ; c., Mitchell, J. F. Hall, 
W. W. Walker. Light Brahma hens (twenty-one).—A good class as to 
size and shape, the chief failing noticeable being yellowness of colour. 
The first (Lingwood), a grand hen in all points, was quite free from 
yellow ; her only failings were a cushion too much in the Cochin 
style, and a few dark feathers showing through it. Second (Onions) 
another good hen, not quite so white or so clear in hackle marking. 
Third (Birch) weaker still in colour, not so large, and slightly hocked. 
Fourth (Ansdell) not ready yet and dirty ; v.h.c. and c, Mitchell; h.c., 
Bloodworth, Lucas, J. F. Hall, Mitchell; c., Causer. Pullets (thirty- 
nine).—As a class better than the hens and much clearer in colour. 
First-and-cup (Norris) perfect in shape and carriage, fine head and 
comb, very clear colour, ample foot feather with moderate hock, not 
over-large, a little indistinct in hackle marking, and clips in her wings 
a trifle too much ; an easy win both of first and cup. Second (G. H. 
Wood) another very nice pullet all round, carries her wings a little 
loosely, shows a few dark feathers on saddle, and is heavily hocked. 
Third (While) a large shapely pullet, well fluffed out, a good white, a 
trifle confused in hackle marking, moderate hocks. Fourth (While) 
another good one as to size and colour, but rather underfeathered. 
Fifth (Mitchell) good size but not quite clear in colour, very broad in 
head for a pullet; v.h.c. (Bigg) fails in middle toe feather, as also 
does v.h.c. (Lingwood) also in shape of cushion ; v.h.c. (Norris) also 
deficient in middle toe ; h.c. (Haines. 309), second Dairy, might have 
stood higher here, perhaps her heavy hocks were against her ; 304 
(While) grand in size and shape but very dark on back ; h.c., Morgan, 
Lucas (2), M. Hall, Haines, Thorn, While (2), Breeze, Naylor, Onions ; 
c., F. Bennett, Morgan, Tedd. 
Dorkings were on the whole not such good classes as those at the 
Palace. Coloured cocks (nine, with four empty pens).—First-and- 
cup (Pilkington), the Palace winner again rightly placed. Second 
(B. Smith) a thick-bodied bird, good in all points except that he is a 
little round in back; h.c.. Countess of Dartmouth; c., Hewson. 
Cockerels (twenty-eight).—First, the Palace winner again to the fore. 
He is too white in tail for our taste and rather on the small side. 
Second (Bell) a good-bodied bird, rather long in leg and seems wry- 
tailed. He was, we believe, unnoticed at Palace. Third (Pilkington) 
a good style of bird, rather heavy in comb. We preferred him to 
second. Fourth (Miiward) we did not like ; he was poor in colour 
and small ; the same owner’s h.c., 373, was in our view a better bird 
in all points except that he was dark in feet; v.h.c. (Drewry) good in 
size and colour, but gone in comb ; h.c. (Smyth) rather narrow but 
good in all other points, and short in leg ; h.c. (Pilkington) grand in 
body but bad comb and feet ; h.c. Hinde (2), Cathcart, Ruttlidge, 
Drewry, B. Smith. H. Herdman, C. Darby, Peel, Bell. Coloured hens 
(nine).—First-and-cup (B. Smith) third at Palace. A fine massive 
bird, short in leg and rich in colour. Second (Cathcart) very neat but 
small. Third (Drewry) another good-bodied hen, a little longer in 
leg than the other two. Pullets (eighteen).—First (White) a good¬ 
bodied pullet, rather long in leg and white in ear. Second (King) held 
the same position at the Palace ; she is neat but small. Third (Peel) 
larger and good shape, but white in ear ; h.c. (Smyth), the best in body 
and colour, but not out in comb yet ; 494, another good one from the 
same yard, too young yet; h.c., Troughton, White, Herdman. Silver- 
Greys, cocks (eight).—First-and-cup (Cranston) a true Dorking, short 
in the leg and square in frame ; an easy win. Second (B. Smith) 
cup at Palace, a good all-round bird ; h.c., Cresswell, Miss Shaw. 
Cockerels (sixteen).—Mr. Cranston here takes first and second with 
very neat birds of good size, good in comb and colour, well placed. 
Third (Roe) a moderate one; v.h.c., 423, another good one of Mr. 
Cranston’s ; h.c. Stokes. Silver Grey hens (twelve).—First (B. Smith) 
square in body, low on leg, and good colour, but out of condition. 
Second (Stephens) smaller but good ; h.c., Cresswell. Pullets.—First- 
and-cup (Cranston) a very pretty pullet of nice colour. Second (Cran¬ 
ston) too pale on breast and hackle for our taste. Third (Mrs. 
Colviie) better in colour but too long in leg; h.c., Cresswell. Any 
other variety cocks (eight).—First (Pilgrim) a white, the Palace 
second. Second (Mrs. Walker) another white, better in shape than 
first, but heavy in comb ; h.c., Countess of Dartmouth, Miss Fair- 
hurst. Cockerels (seven).—First (Mrs. Hayne) the Palace cup bird, 
smaller than second, but better in head and feet. Second (Cresswell) 
fair in body, but long in leg and heavy in comb. Any other variety 
hens (nine).—First (Cresswell) a shapely white, neat in comb. Second 
(Countess of Dartmouth) a good Cuckoo ; h.c., Morgan, Stratford. 
Pullets (five).—First (Cresswell) a large well-footed bird, but very 
coarse in comb. Second (Stratford) neater in head but not well shown. 
Cochins. —Buffs.—Cocks (twenty-four) a very good class. First 
(Tomlinson), second Palace, also took the cup for cock or cockerel. He 
is a fine massive bird,‘of medium shade,even in colour, fine in head, good 
