December 19. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
225 
filled after the appointed hour of nine o’clock had passed. 
The aiTrarigement of the fowls, and their classification in 
the catalogue, varied from that of last year, Hamburghs 
now commencing the list; and first of them, the golden- 
pencilled. Here we found a decidedly good class, and 
the attainment of high excellence in the prize and com¬ 
mended pens. Mr. Worrall’s first-prize birds, in the adult 
division, well deserve their honours. To the silver birds of 
Mr. Dixon, of Bradford, as the best pencilled pen, was 
awarded one of the Silver Vases, the coveted object of so 
many a poultry-keeper’s ambition. The adult golden- 
spangled birds were but indifferent, as is evidenced by the 
fact of the first prize being withheld. The younger birds, 
however, were deemed worthy of a vase, in preference of 
tho silver-spangled, although the latter, as a class, might, 
probably, be considered as generally superior. Few bad 
specimens, indeed, were present in this last class; and with 
great pleasure did we notice tho absence from the decorated 
pens of the anomalous hen-tailed cock. One point, it is 
true, might be derived as materially conducive to the 
appearance of these birds, that is, the dark markings, 
spanglings, if possible, of the hackle. In this particular, 
the male birds, as is well known, are rarely manageable, 
and their hackle persists in its white, or rather slightly- 
coloured character, while the spangled has the hen-tail too 
frequently as its companion. The Hamburgh breeder, in all 
the subdivisions of the birds known under that name, must 
ever keep his eye fixed on the full development of the 
“ white ear-lobe.” It is an important characteristic of the 
race, and can never be safely disregarded. The tail of the 
cock, in pen 220, was admirable in both form and markings, 
the sickle feathers exhibiting the perfect spangle at the 
extremities. 
In Polish, tho competition was severe; the competitors 
being numerous, and with very high pretentions. The 
vase assigned to these birds, irrespective of the sub- 
varieties, fell to the adult golden-spangled of Mr. Conyers, 
who thus stands first in both this and the Hamburgh 
classes; a position, indeed, that necessarily indicates 
the combination of experience, energy, and skill; Mr. 
Edwards, as of old, carrying off the first and third prizes; 
Mr. Adkins occupying the intermediate place. Tho silver- 
spangled were numerous and good; the lacing of the crests, 
in many instances, being greatly in advance of former 
exhibitions. It certainly appears a matter of greater 
difficulty to avoid irregularity of formation and confusion of 
the colours, and the markings of the topknot in the silver 
than with tho golden Polish. 
Tho miscellaneous Polish class was filled with white, buff, 
blue, and mottled birds. Among the first-named of them, 
the topknots of the cock and one hen (331), belonging to 
Miss Vivian, were perfect in their formation. The buff were 
shown in good condition; but tho mottled or laced were but 
indifferent. Would that we could chronicle the possibility 
of some approach to tho restoration of the long-lost black- 
crested White Polish; but hitherto, wo have had no en¬ 
couragement to hope, in this country, though tidings have, 
certainly, been gained of them abroad. 
Spanish were a class to which public attention was early 
and earnestly given. The appearance of new names attached 
to this class in the prize-list; the absence of the exhibitor 
to whom the premiums liavo here so long and continually 
fallen ; as well as the unquestionable advance in the quality 
of tho birds themselves; were prominent features in both 
this and the Dorking classes. 
The Spanish Vase, is riow tho property of Mrs. Stow, 
of Bredon; and well has she deserved the honor, since her 
birds were exhibited in such form and condition as brought 
out all the points and features of the Spanish fowl. There 
may, possibly, be better birds, but we never saw a better 
exhibition pen; although wo might regret the slighly droop¬ 
ing character of the cock’s comb. Of Spanish chicken, there 
were no less than fifty-one pens. Mr. Rake, of Bristol,being 
the winner, his pullets were of excessive beauty, as, also, the 
cockerel, but tho latter appeared to stand second to that, 
belonging to the same gentleman which took the first-prize 
for the single Spanish cocks. Prizes and commendations 
were numerous, and most deservedly bestowed, in both tho 
old and young divisions. We have little doubt, indeed, 
that the commended at this show, would, in very many 
instances, have been the prize-birds at not a very remote 
period, even within tho walls of Bingley Hall. The judges, 
especially, must have found this to their cost; for instead 
of a rapid walk down a line of glaringly red-faced birds, as 
of old, and a consequent early decision in favour of one or 
other of the few that were not thus disqualified, competi¬ 
tion ran so close, that hours of laborious consideration must 
have been devoted to the work. 
We might extend these remarks to the Dorkings, both 
with respect to the birds, their owners, and the task of 
adjudicating on their merits. The speckled-breasted cock 
and light brown hens of the Rev. Mr. Donne, that gained 
the Dorking Vase for their owner, were admirable specimens 
of it—one of the most useful fowls of the English poultry- 
yard—their figure, moreover, was seen to tho utmost advan¬ 
tage from their high condition in point of feather. Tbe 
rose-combed birds were scarcely represented, some few pens 
alone having been entered. If this proceeds from any idea 
that the rose-comb is, in itself, an objectionable feature, we 
must strongly dissent from any such notion. The Dorking 
is essentially a table fowl, using this term in opposition to 
that of a bird of feather. Colour may be, and is, permitted 
to influence decisions in respect of comparative merit, when 
the other points are equally balanced ; but not so with the 
comb. In the show-pen they must, indeed, match, whether 
rose, cupped, or single, and each should be good of its kind; 
but to say that one or the other indicates a better breed is 
an unwarranted statement. Individual opinion and taste 
may determine for itself both these points, and thus we 
rejoice to see the decision that highly commended a single- 
combed pen of very stout “ while ” Dorkings, belonging to 
the Duko of Sutherland. Here the rose-comb would, beyond 
all doubt, present the most attractive appearance, but in the 
absence of more valuable qualities can never be received as 
an equivalent. 
The awards in the coloured Dorking chicken class com 
meneed with this expression of judicial opinion : “ The 
whole class very meritorious, and deserving the highest com¬ 
mendation.” In this all must have concurred; and if our 
progress another season here, and in Spanish, is compara¬ 
tive with what the last year has witnessed, we shall hardly 
venture to limit tho extent to which tho improvement of 
these birds may be carried. 
That Mr. Punchard has been the winner of the Shanghac 
Vase will be hailed with satisfaction by all who have known 
the energy and perseverance by which that gentleman lias 
been distinguished in the Poultry cause. His birds, on 
the present occasion, were, indeed, excellent in respect 
of colour, form, condition, and size. The tone of their 
plumage, though light, is clear and brilliant; and if the 
male bird approached a lemon tint, he had all the intensity 
of colour in the hackle, back, and saddle, that obtained for 
tbe Shanghae the highly descriptive epithet of “ flame- 
coloured," In the old class were many individual birds, com¬ 
bining all the requisite points and features of the family; 
while of faults complained of in former years, especially 
unfeathered legs, and bad condition, there were Very few 
instances. Many a pen, however, must have suffered from 
tho presence of mis-shapen, coarse, and wrinkled combs. 
The Judges pronounced the Chicken—Cinnamon and 
Buff Class—“ excellent,” and truly they deserved it. There 
the first prize was gained by Mrs. Burnett, of Hutton, near 
Preston, whose birds were well-shaped and coloured, and 
justly stood first in a class of unusual merit. In Pen 730, 
which took the second prize, a silver cinnamon cock would 
have appeared to better advantage than the dark bird with 
his light companions. 
Mr. Hodson has ever been constant to his brown and 
Partridge-feathered Shanghaes; we were prepared, there¬ 
fore to find him a winner, for his name stands in the second 
place in the adult class; and in the first and second in the 
chicken; Mr. Punchard winning the first prize with ex¬ 
cellent specimens of his old and well-known breed; 
Tho White Shanghai’s, especially tho chicken, were very 
good. Discoloration of the leg and other blemishes for¬ 
merly so constantly present were rarely noticeable; the birds 
were also shown in excellent condition. 
Of Black Shanghaes, little may be said ; they never stood 
high in popular estimation; and what we now witnessed will 
not throw additional lustre on their very questionable race. 
