226 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 22. 
Of Poultry, there were 585 pens, and of Pigeons 212. 
They would have been more numerous had not exhibitions 
at Shrewsbury and Leeds been held at the same time, and 
if others had not been nursing for the Birmingham Show 
in the next week. There were not many good Shanyhaes in 
any of the classes. Mr. Pairlie took the first prize for old 
Buff birds, and Mr. H. English, of Kerdistone, Norfolk, 
was similarly rewarded for Buff chickens. In Whites, Mr. 
W. C. Reynolds had the first prize for old birds, and the 
Rev. Dr. Allen for chickens. Mr. T. Bridges, of Croydon, 
and Mr. J. F. Chater, were similarly successful for old and 
young Partridge-coloured, Capt. Snell had the first prize 
for the best cockerel and pullet. The Blacks were indifferent; 
so much so, that no first prize was given for old birds, and 
no second for chickens. Mr. W. P. Flight, of Winchester, 
took the first and only prize for the latter. 
The Spanish were fairly represented. Mr. Fox and Mr. 
Botham took all the first prizes. 
Dorkinys were not so good as we have seen lately, yet the 
classes were quite of average quality. Mr. T. Dutton, Mr. 
R. Boys, and Mr. Squire, took the first prizes for coloured 
Dorkings, and Mrs. Mills, and Mr. C. Alloway, for White 
Dorkings. There is an effort making to cry up Dorkings as 
superior to all other varieties, but it will not succeed. We 
shall have to show the reasons for the attempt, and for its 
failure. 
The Polands and Hamburyhs of all classes were good; 
but the Oamc and Malay pens might have had better 
tenants. Bantams were generally good. The other classes 
were below an average. 
The best feature of the Show were the Pigeons. We never 
saw such a very superior gathering of these birds. An ex- 
excellent authority writes to us thus sententiously about 
them. 
“ The Almonds excellent; no bad ones. The Pouters 
undeniable. Sam. Butt, Esq’s, in such condition, as likewise 
Matthew Wicken, Esq., Regent’s Park, London. Toys and 
Foreign Pigeons, and also C. Rawson, Esq’s, birds all good. 
Adkins, Esq., birds require a very long rest to recover them¬ 
selves. The Almonds and Pouters were taken out of their 
pens and examined, and measured very accurately, that no 
mistake should occur. I have heard, the pen 117, Spanish 
Runts, Blues, are two cocks, if so, Adkins, Esq., will have 
the prize with his Reds.” 
The judges of the Poultry were E. Hewitt, Esq., of Bir¬ 
mingham, and J. W. Nutt, Esq., of Stoke Newington. Of 
the Pigeons, R. Pyne, D. Wolstonholme, J. M. Eaton, and 
E. Hardy, Esqs. 
The Birmingham Poultry Show. —During the present 
year a large compartment has been added to the former 
spacious area of Bingley Hall, but the unprecedented 
number of entries amounting to no less than 2275 pens (1995 
Poultry and 280 Pigeons), left no room unoccupied. Com¬ 
paratively few of the birds that had been entered failed to 
make their appearance, and where this was the case the 
vacancy was given to dealer’s pens of the same class, so 
that there ivas no confusion of the various breeds. 
The new portion of the building contained the birds that 
stood first in the catalogue, Spanish, as usual, heading the 
list. In these, the first and second prizes in Class 1 
were assigned to pens 4 and 7, both belonging to Captain 
Wyndham Hornby, R. N.; and between these and the occu¬ 
pants of the third prize, pen No. 37, belonging to Mr. Har¬ 
rison, there appeared a wide interval in respect of the main 
characteristics of this race. Captain Hornby’s fowls were 
not merely possessed of those qualities of shape and face 
which are here required, but were also shown in admirable 
condition, bearing witness to the judicious management 
that had brought them out in such form after the late 
most unfavourable season. When we consider the great 
advance that has been made of late in this class, the 
general favour with which it has been received at the. hands 
of the public, and the zealous determination with which 
numerous competitors have entered the field, the success 
that has again attended the Knowsley stock commands our 
admiration, no less than our surprise, that a single indi¬ 
vidual should have so long retained his enviable distinction 
as a Spanish breeder. 
In Spanish chickens, the like success attended the owner 
of the victors in the senior class; the cockerel shown in 
the winning pen being, probably, the best bird of the year 
ever exhibited. Mrs. L. C. Stow, of Breden, near Tewkes- j 
bury, took a second prize; while the third fell to Mr. Eden, 
of Salford, by both of whom birds of great merit were 
exhibited. Mrs. Stow was also deservedly at the head of 
the list in the class for a cock and one pullet, but in this 
class, which contained some 40 pens, there were many 
specimens that would have been more wisely retained in 
then- owners’ yards than brought forward as competitors in 
such a contest. We except, of course, the prize and com¬ 
mended birds, several of which promise well. We cer¬ 
tainly had thought that the points of a Spanish fowl had 
been by this time sufficiently understood to prevent the 
exhibition of decidedly red-faced fowls, and of such, also, 
as, with a partial white face, combined a large portion of 
the former objectionable colour. Spanish chickens, it is 
true, must have many allowances made l'or them, since in 
their first season they come before us in an immature state; 
the cockerels may then be pardoned for a slight blush on 
their countenances, which may, perhaps, he ultimately ex- j 
changed for the proper hue; but decidedly red augurs ill ; 
for the future with pullets. Again, much may be hoped for 
from a blueish-white face, but the subsequent metamor¬ 
phosis from red to white is rarely, if ever, achieved. Com¬ 
paratively few dark feathers appeared between the face and 
comb of the prize birds, a point to which we attach im¬ 
portance, though perfectly aware of the difficulty of its 
attainment, and the evils to which the laying too much 
stress on it might probably lead. 
We must now pass on to Dorkinys, where Captain Hornby’s 
name again stood first in both the 4th and 5th classes. Pen 
160, to which the first prize was awarded, contained a most 
magnificent black-breasted cock, with rich, dark brown hens, 
which in size, figure, and condition, left nothing to be 
desired; the second prize birds were but little inferior, 
although their relative position was fully justified. These 
were both single-combed, but the third prize was assigned 
to some highly meritorious rosy-combed birds, belonging to 
the Rev. John Hill, the ' Citadel, Hawkstone, Shropshire. 
The hens were extremely rich in colour and of great sym¬ 
metry. Lady Chesterfield took a fourth prize; and some 
other pens received the honour of high commendation. 
Both classes of Dorking chickens, No. 5, containing a 
cockerel and three pullets, and No. 6, a cock and one pullet, 
were pronounced by the judges to be. “ meritorious ;” to No. 5, 
indeed, the word “ highly” was added, and fully was this 
deserved, for better specimens of this breed had never 
hitherto been brought together. A similar observation as 
that passed on the Spanish here occurred to us, namely, the 
wonderful condition in which the winning pens were brought 
out, many of the birds appeared as close in feather as game 
fowls, a point, as indicative of strength and vigour of con¬ 
stitution, greatly to be desired in a family against which the 
charge of being delicate is almost the only one that can be 
fairly brought. 
In White Dorkings, the Earl of Dartmouth was successful 
in the old class; but these birds, beautiful as they undoubt¬ 
edly are, seem year by year to be sinking in popular estima¬ 
tion. 
“ Where is the first prize for the old Shanyhaes?” was a 
question repeatedly asked on the first admission of the 
public; to which the reply, that it had been “ withheld by 
the judges,” was the only one that could be rendered. Dis¬ 
appointment and astonishment were naturally both called 
forth, but the verdict, however startling, was just. 
It cannot be questioned but that out of the immense 
number of Slianghae pens, in the various classes, amount 
ing in all to 520, there were fewer good birds than might 
have been selected from the smaller collection of December, 
1852. If an inquiry be made as to the causes of this retro 
grade movement, one depreciating influence may be traced 
to the immense number of inferior birds that have been 
distributed through the medium of the now frequent sales 
by auction in the metropolis. In expressing such an opinion, 
we should explain that no allusion is here made to the mode 
adopted by many large and successful breeders of disposing 
of their surplus stock by a public sale, rather than by private 
negotiations; for such a course is not merely the wisest for 
the owner, but also most advantageous for the public buyer. 
But the periodical sale of miscellaneous stock, often ol 
