Januaey 29. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
823 
THE PIGEON PRIZES AT BIRMINGHAM. 
I CANXOT l ernaiii silent after reiuling “ 15, P. B’s.” remarks 
of .January 15th, wishing to class Toys with high-class 
birds. I only beg to say, as a fancier, I quite agree with 
“ Tristram Shandy,” and am proud to see that he has taken 
upon himself to put a stop to the absurdity (without 
prejudice, being not an exhibitor) of classing Toys with 
higli-class birds of the fancy, Almond Tumblers, I'outers, 
and Carriers. Being an exhibitor at Birmingham, myself, 
I think I have a right to a voice. For tlie futui'e, I hope 
that committees will state the class of birds to be exhibited, 
which will put a stop to loopholes for judges and exhibitors 
to creep out of. Does not the list of the cup exhibitors at 
Birmiugbam prove that six of the ten that competed for 
the cup exhibited Tumblers, Carriers, and l*outers? I am 
sure that, as experienced fanciers, of which there is a 
proof, they were of candid opinion that Pouters, Carriers, 
and Tumblers were the only birds worthy of the Silver Cup. 
r Ihinlc it is absurd in the extreme for persons to write in 
favour of Toys; for I am quite sure they cannot understand 
that there is any difficulty in rearing high-class birds. 
I go as tar as to say, ihdl Ihcre is as much, dijjiciillii in 
hreediiKi it first clnss Almund 'I'limblnr, I’oiilcr, or Cnrrirr, to 
to/,a prizes, as there is in hrcedinij a hii/h-hred horse to iriit 
the J>er1nj or SI. Lei/er. Toys, if only matched to their 
own class, will multiply as freely as rats in a barn. I must 
fall back on Sam Slick's remark, “like father, like son:” 
although very pretty, still they are not to be classed with the 
high-bred birds, i’outers. Carriers, and Almonds. 
Perhaps the challenge in the Snnditij Times, of .January (ith, 
has slipped “it. P. B’s.’’ eyes; if so, I dare say that some 
kind friend will step forward and accept it. I am quite sure 
“ B. P. it.” does not understand tlie high-class birds. In 
his remark, i see he ridicules the. dwaif of a Tumbler, tlie 
coating the beak of a Carrier, the toe nail of a Pouter, with 
unmiLural prolongation of born. I have only to say, that 
when a person is a competent judge, he can detect all those 
pieces of trickery; or, if he cannot, why he should not 
judge the birds. I am also of opinion, that the judges were 
very singular in their decision in many of the high-class 
biids. Did anyone ever hear of Pouters taking the prize, 
whose colour 1 cannot describe, neither do 1 know what to 
call Ihein, although, while at the show', I took a few notes ’? 
Pouters, with large, nearly white liodies, stained tails, black 
beaks, orange eyes, thick Bunt heads, white tlight, lieavy- 
feathered legs, and no carriage. Fanciers would laugh at 
such birds in London, supposing they were the best ex¬ 
hibited ; if they were, I should not award the prize to such 
Kuniiisir. Footers should be whole-coloured; Pied, oi' 
Grizzles, but not with white flights when grizzled. A 
Footer, w'bea in full show, with all jiroperties, is a very 
noble bird, which jio one can deny. The White Drmiooos 
were no more nor less than a pair of young llorsemeo. 
Air. IMadleford’s birds were far superior, perfect JJrio/ooos, 
and of a scarce cidoor ; rariety of colour, judges should take 
in strong consideration. There are many good fanciers 
that would exhibit; but they are aware that the judges 
aie constantly wrong. Certainly, it is difficult to please 
all; but it is quite easy for a good fancier to judge certain 
birds ,iu a few minutes, which he has been in the habit of 
keeping. Then you wmuld directly reply, that committees 
cannot afford to have three or four judges. I am of opinion, 
that not a single individual in the fancy can possibly 
understand all class(‘s of birds, to point out the merits and i 
demerits of every one of them ; besides, w hile fanciers are 
using the hourly watching in rearing of liigh-class birds, 
and the great expence in procuring of fresh blood, which i 
no one but a bi’eeder knows of, I think it is decidedly wrong ; 
to the fancy, particularly as they pay for entering, that they , 
should be allowed to be beaten by inferior birds, simply ’ 
because the judges are not competent in judging high-class ' 
birds. I would guarantee, that the birds which took the 
silver cup at Bii-iningbam could be replaced fur one- 
twentieth the cost of those commended. 1, with others, 
will never think of exhibiting again, unless the breed of the * 
birds are distinctly mentioned previous to the show; then • 
there will be no crook or corner for fanciers to w'ork out of. 
I am quite sure that all honest persons will bear me out in 
my opinion as to high-class birds being preferred betore 
j Toys, which w'ill then put a stop to protests, challenges, 
' and ill-feelings among exhibitors. I go as far as to say, 
that many persons are too apt to blame committees ; which 
is quite the wrong quarter; it is the judges who ought to 
; be looked to; and do not blame, also, the iierson to whom 
i the prize is awarded: but, of course, we all put in for it. 
But the grand consideration—which has most right to the 
cup ; high-class birds, vaiying from £(i per pair, upwards; or 
mere Toys, that such as were at Birmingham could be 
procured for (Is. per pair? The best of the Toys are not bred 
by English fanciers ; thej’ are due only to foreigners. Many 
of the birds were imported, or bred from imported stock, 
that were at Birmingham ; but on the contrary, high-class 
birds are made to perfection by the fanciers of England; 
those of London more particularly. 
I particularly notice “ B. P. ii’s.” conclusion, in respect 
to looking thi'ough a piece of darkened glass ; but I am 
quite of opinion, that “ Tristram Shandy ” has a much 
clearer piece of glass in hand, which affords him to look 
further into the art and knowledge of Pigeons,—F. L, 
Cor.KEU, a Cu/omharian aod Fschibitor, 
I CHAPTERS EROAI THE TRJSTRAPfEDIA. 
j No. in. 
I PIGEONS AT POULTRY SHOWS. 
I As “gentlemen on the committee,” are now about to con- 
I sider tbe schedules for the next exhibitions of poultry, Ac., I 
entieat respectful^, but earnestly, to demand their attention 
I to a greatly neglected feature of their shows—I mean to 
! Pigeons. 
it is gratifying to see that the claims of these birds sire 
being more and more recognised, from the simple fact that 
they are now" deemed an essential feature at all shows 
which have na// preteosioos to rcspectabiHl;/; with one ex- 
I ceiilion, and that exception I will not specify further, than 
to say, that I am satisfied that Liverpool does not intend, 
for the future, to allow such a reproach to continue ; neither 
their unfairness to I’olish fowls, 
j I have nothing with which to reproach Birmingham in 
. this matter. That committee of gentlemen will act fairly by 
; Pigeons, 1 have no fear. There was an evident oversight, 
in respect to the Cup pens, which, doubtless, they are them¬ 
selves aware of; and being awmre of,it will not be disregarded. 
Did I say reproach the Birmingham (Committee ? Yea, 
rather let me Ihoo/c them, and heartily to, for setting the 
example to other committees, to i)ay due respect to Pigeons, 
and giving to them, too, their Silver Cup. 
It is indisputable, tliat a pen of I’outers, Cai'riers, and 
Almond Tumblers, earn their reward of a Cup about ten 
times more hardly than does a pen of any, I say of aoy 
description of poultry. This is no unguarded expression. 
But, lest any honest-minded amateur of poultry, unac¬ 
quainted with Pigeons, should doubt it, I have much pleasure 
in explaining to him, that, in the first place, a thorough 
good jrair of each of these birds, would, together, cost him 
.i‘2-5 to ,b;)0, or even more. Now, what pen of iroultry would 
fetch such a sum ? I say really/cfcA such a sum voio? But, 
in tbe ca:se of such Pigeons, the worst is, that the would-be 
purchaser may w'ait six months ere he can buy them at all, 
' so scarce are first rate birds. Let any one, for instance, 
I advertise for a pair of first-rate yellow pied Pouters, it is 
ten to one that he will have a single offer. 
Secondly, I would tell the poultry amateur, that if he bred 
a single pair of really first-rate Pouters, or Al mond Tumblers, 
in one year, he would be a fortunate man. And, thirdly, 
that, in the case of his Carriers, he must keep them for 
four years or so, before they caa be fit for show'ing. Now, 
how does all this compare with a pen, I repeat again, with 
ao;/ pen, of any poultry ? 
Seeing, then, these things, let it be urged upon com¬ 
mittees, not only “ to admit Pigeons,” as the humiliating 
phrase goes, but to make I’igeons a chief featore of the shorn. 
To do this, they must make the prizes adequate. "What fancier 
would send valuable Almond Tumblers, for example, say 
100 miles,—birds worth XTo, for a five shilling prize ! ’tis 
monstrous ! 
