Febkuaky 17. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
391 
I than mere weight without these distinctions, if the more 
j perfect specimens are at the same time of a fair average 
size.” The subjoined resolution, with regard to the manage- 
I meat of the I’oultry Show, was unanimously adopted:— 
“ That the following members of the Council, . namely, 
Howard Luckcock, Esq., Mr. T. B. tyright, ilr. Benjamin 
l)ain, Mr. Hubert Luckcock, Mr. W. B. Mapplebeck, Mr. 
John Lowe, and Mr. Joseph Harrison, be appointed a com¬ 
mittee for the general management of the I'oultry Show in 
December next; and that they be respectfully requested to 
ascertain if any and what alterations can be made in the 
arrangement of the pens, so as to facilitate the inspection 
of the specimens by the visitors; to decide upon the best 
mode of conducting the sales; to engage a poultry salesman, 
and other assistants; and to make such regulations, witli 
regard to feeding, and the kinds of food wliich are to be 
used, as shall, in their opinion, be calculated to ensure the 
preservation in good health of the birds sent for exhibition." 
The new prize lists will, we apprehend, be considered by 
exhibitors generally as a great improvement, in many re¬ 
spects, on those of last year; and they will be received as a 
further evidence that the Council are prepared to employ 
every means at their disposal to ensure tlie continued 
success and utility of these popular meetings. The subject 
of holding exhibitions of store stock and agricultural imple¬ 
ments was discussed by the Council, and a committee was 
appointed to consider the resolution to which we have before 
alluded, as liaving been passed by the Committee of Ma¬ 
nagement for last year. This committee was requested to 
report in May next; and as it is desirable that the proposi¬ 
tion should be maturely considered, and the opinions 
thereon of the leading agriculturists in the midland counties 
ascertained, the committee nominated is a numerous one. 
It comprises the following members of the Council;—The 
I’resident (Earl Howe), the Vice-President (the Mayor of 
Birmingham), Lord Calthorpe, the Earl of Aylesford, Vis¬ 
count Hill, Lord Hatherton, Lord Leigh, Sir George Richard 
Philips, Bart., Captain Dilke, R.N., Charles M. Caldecott, 
Esq., Baron Dickenson Webster, Esq., Darwin Galton, Esq., 
William Lucy, Esq., Howard Luckcock, Esq., Mr. T. B. 
Wright, Mr. Benjamin Dain, Mr. Hubert Luckcock, Jlr. 
Henry Lowe, Mr. John Bright, Mr. Charles Wedge, Mr. 
John Lowe, Mr. John Shackel, Mr. J. Mathews. The 
Council unanimously agreed to present the sum of £‘25 to 
Mr. Morgan, the secretary, in addition to his salary, in con¬ 
sideration of his assiduous attention to the duties of his 
office. Mr. Morgan was also re-appointed. — Midland 
Counties Herald, February d, 1853. 
PRESERVING SPECIMENS OF ANIMALS. 
(Continued from paye 373.) 
The second method is what I generally use, and is a 
much quicker one, where the convenience of an oven can be 
had. In this case, the bird is to be prepared by opening as 
before, and stuffed with cotton or wool, but instead of the 
mixture, I pour in along with the stuffing as much common 
or Barbadoes tar as may be imbibed by that stuffing, but 
not more, as it would run out, and disfigure the plumage ; 
the only use of this, to give a remaining scent, as little or 
none can enter the flesh. The proportion I allow is about 
ten drops to a bird of the size of a sparrow. Now, if the 
bird be placed in the posture by the means aforesaid, the 
rest is to be done by an oven of a proper degree of heat, by 
putting the bird therein. The only difficulty is to regulate 
this. The test is by putting some downy white feathers on 
a clean paper in the oven, and shut them up for five minutes, 
after which, if they are not discoloured, you may be sure 
that tlie birds will not be hurt. I generally feel the flesliy 
part of the thighs, to tell when they are enough done, and 
if tliis feels pretty hard, so that you can scarcely make an 
impression, I conclude it finished. I observe, too, the neck, 
if that is stiff, I suppose it enough. It will be necessary that, 
after the operation, the bird be put in a state of security 
from insects immediately on its growing cold, as they will 
j be more liable to attack tliose done by the oven than the 
first way; indeed, I generally either put them in a very close 
drawer, or in the case I intend they shall remain, directly. 
for on neglect of this I have lost many birds, notwith¬ 
standing any preparation. Should, therefore, any one 
intend to send a collection to his friend at a great dis¬ 
tance he must attend to this. The way I should think 
likely would be this : As soon as any bird is done, have a 
large box or hooped-barrel, and lay a layer of very clean 
and dry sand, on this set each bird, sifting some more sand 
over it, to bury it therein, whicli, being carefully done, will 
notruffle the feathers ; put among the sand, here and there, 
whole pepper, or any other spice, and bits of camphor, this 1 
you may do till you have made the whole of the collection 
intended, and are desirous of forwarding them on ship- 1 
board; I should then pack them up in a ligliter manner, by 
putting them in a box or barrel with soft cotton or wool, , 
tight enough to prevent jostling against each other, with '■ 
spice here and there, and when closed up for good, pasting 
thick paper on every crevice, with thick paste, adding to each ! 
pint of it twenty or thirty grains of corrosive sublimate ! 
(or white mercury), which will liinder insects eating the i 
paste, and if the cotton or wool be put in an oven for half-an- 
hour before it is used for package, yoit may use it the more 
safely for that purpose. And I should think that even 
moss, dried in an oven, may pack them as w'ell as any thing. 
The time I allow for a bird of the size of a sparrow', is an 
hour or two at furthest, the larger ones much longer, and 
some will require twice putting in the oven, remaining each 
time till cold. These methods need not be confined to 
birds alone, but the smaller kinds of quadrupeds, if curious, 
may be done by either of these ways. IVith a little more ■ 
care, reptiles and fishes may be preserved likewise by one j 
of these methods, though the general method is to put ! 
them into spirits of wine, brandy, or rum, w'hich is a good 
way, where time or opportunity will not serve for tlie above. 
Some sort of insects, as iieetles, centipedes, tarantulas, 
scorpions, Ac., may be put into rum or brandy, putting them 
one upon another without any care, except the not bruising 
them in the catching; but as many of tlieso are adorned 
with beautiful colours, I have found it useful to add to the 
brandy as much loaf-sugar as it will take up, this prevents 
the spirits preying on that colour as much as may be. 
As to butterflies. After catching them in a net con¬ 
trived for that purpose, a squeeze on the bod\', without 
injuring the wings, while in the net, generally kills them, 
upon which the pin is to be run through the body, a 
little beyond the head; the head of the pin inclining 
forwards, and the point backwards, so that when the pin is 
set upright in a piece of board the back part of the fly will 
be nigher the board tlian the fore parts, wliich, if raised 
one-sixth part of an inch, or one-fourth in large ones, will 
look tlie better; the wings are then to be spread, and kept 
in that manner by a slip of card, with a pin run tlirough it, 
which is to bear gently on both wings, just so much as to 
keep them from displacing: thus they may remain for a 
week or more, when they will bo stiff, and may be taken off 
and placed in a row on slips of deal, wiiich may be made to 
slide one above another, in a box or case made on purpose, 
and if stuck very tight in, will transport anywhere thus 
witliout further trouble, except, on exportation, taking care 
to paste up the crevices everywhere with the sublimated 
paste before-mentioned, as w'ell as sticking pieces of cam¬ 
phor in every slider, to guard against insects. 
PHEASANTS. | 
{Continued from ])age 371.) 
Having disposed of thus much, respecting coops, phea- j 
santry, &c., we will now turn our attention to the birds j 
themselves ; premising a cock and two hens as a minimum 
of either variety in possession. 
Each kind require the same treatment, as regard to rear¬ 
ing and food ; otherwise than that, the Silver and common 
breeds are capable of roughing it more, and may be allowed 
game, or common hens, as foster-parents. In our case, 
liowever, nothing of the sort was practised ; equal arrange¬ 
ments, care, and attention were given to all. 
Sir John Sebright's Golden spangled Bantams were the 
variety kept to serve as matrons in our pheasant estalilish- 
ment,for which purpose no other sorts, so far as I am aware 
