December 19. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
227 
colour, and form. The white Bantams were neat and meri¬ 
torious; button many of the black ones lacked the white 
earlobe, which adds so greatly to their appearance. The 
“ Game ” Bantams, however, were sufficient to retrieve the 
credit of their race, and we gladly welcomed the booted 
white birds of Mrs. Hosier Williams—a variety that of late 
has been unduly neglected. 
Mrs. Towuley Parker’s Geese achieved new successes for 
their owner; the gander was an immense bird, weighing 
down the scale at 20| lbs., the whole pen reaching 64 lbs. 
There were others but little below their weights, but not of 
the Toulouse, the winners being white, or crossed-bred birds 
from them. A pen (1450) was represented as being grey¬ 
legged, or domesticated wild; if such is the case, their evi¬ 
dent close resemblance to tlio Toulouse would bear out our 
expressed opinion as to the probable origin of the latter. 
The whole class of Aylesbury Bucks was pronounced 
meritorious ; the winning pen, 1498, being perfect in form 
and plumage, and of no less than 28 lbs. weight. The 
Rouen Bucks, however, were inferior; the colour of their race 
being ill-preserved in the heavier specimens, while those 
not thus deficient were but small in comparison of what 
the Rouen Ducks should be and have been. 
There were also good pens of the Black East Indian and 
White Call Ducks. 
Turkeys may be pronounced a decidedly good class; the 
weight of the young birds especially was most satisfactory, 
the winning pen being 51 lbs. The vivid and lustrous 
colouring of the American birds was brilliant in the extreme. 
As a whole, very rarely have we witnessed so perfect and 
interesting an exhibition of Pigeons ; almost every pen was 
shown in beautiful condition, and thus became a most 
attractive feature to the public generally, and still more 
particularly to the ladies ; indeed, the groups of admirers 
were perhaps greater here than in any other portion of the 
collection. The Carriers were most excellent, and although 
this variety have become far less important since the intro¬ 
duction of railways and.the telegraph, they still are held in 
high estimation by many of our breeders. The male in 
the first-prize pen was a white one, a bird of well-developed 
character, and one, we are informed, that had become 
famous for its daring lliglits homewards, and that, too, from 
extremely distantlocalities. The hen had been sadly injured 
by her partner, and was consequently exhibited in an ad¬ 
joining pen. The Almond Tumblers were unusually good ; 
the whole of the competing pens being far above mediocrity. 
The Balds and Beards were also of high standing, and many 
of them exceedingly perfect in feather. The Mottled Tum¬ 
blers were all we could desire ; indeed, few exhibitions could 
boast of so close a competition as here existed. The Owls 
were also very good ; and among them we noticed that very 
rare variety the White ones. The Nuns were very truly- 
bred I’igeons; but we felt somewhat surprised at the total 
absence of both the red and also yellow-headed varieties, 
as (though difficult to procure) not unfrequently the finest 
specimens exist under these colours. The Archangels were 
good ; the Jacobins still more so ; reds, yellows, and blues 
contending for the premiums. The Fan tails were con¬ 
sidered, by those competent of forming a correct opinion, 
as the most complete that have as yet been presented to 
the public; indeed, difficult must the task have been 
of assigning the prizes where all were so excellent. 
The Trumpeters mustered strongly, and ranged very high 
as to close-breeding; consequently, two pens, independent 
of the winners, obtained “ high commendations.” The 
whites were the best of the Croppers , the others were, 
undoubtedly, indifferent. The Barbs contained most de¬ 
serving specimens of both whites and also buffs, each of 
which are extremely rare. The Runts were the most im¬ 
perfect of any variety in the whole collection. The 
Dragoons were beautiful; some of the competing pens have, 
undoubtedly, never been excelled; perhaps, never equalled. 
In the class for any new and distinct variety of Pigeons, 
were exhibited some very superior Porcelains; and two pens 
of that rare and all-but-cxtinct species, the Frill-backs. 
; This is a very unique and beautiful variety: the whole of 
! the back feathers curling similarly to those in the tail of the 
wild Mallard; they are proverbially difficult to rear, and we 
confess great pleasure in noticing them at Birmingham. 
There was, throughout the whole collection, an almost 
total absence of indifferent specimens, and from this 
cause, the present year can boast of vastly superior birds to 
those of preceding ones, though somewhat now limited as 
to numbers. Only one single pen of Pigeons was exhibited 
by cottagers; indeed, our own impression is, most un¬ 
doubtedly, that the society’s premiums for cottagers are by 
far best if restricted to deserving specimens of fowls only, 
as the raising of Pigeons is not calculated to produce equal 
pecuniary returns; and contingencies sometimes are attend¬ 
ant on their cultivation by cottagers, not by any means 
calculated to promote the general peace of the neighbour¬ 
hood. In the one instance referred to, the pen possessed 
no particular merit, and was, therefore, passed over by the 
judges without comment. 
Our review must now close, and as a brief summary of 
the Great English Poultry Show of 1854, we may speak of 
it as most eminently successful; and its peculiar charac¬ 
teristic, the comparative absence not merely of inferiority, 
but even of mediocrity, in the specimens there assembled. 
Those who have been annually connected with this 
society have long felt the obligation rendered to it by Mr. 
J. B. Wright, whose constant attention and unceasing care 
has been bestowed on the management of the association, 
from the very commencement down to the present day. 
In accordance with this general expression, it has been 
determined to present that gentleman with a testimonial, 
in evidence of the feeling entertained with reference to his 
services so continuously and successfully bestowed. A sub¬ 
scription for this purpose has been commenced, of which 
Mr. Shackel, of Blenheim House, near Birmingham, is the 
treasurer. 
The system of management, on the present occasion, has 
also been admirably conceived, and most efficiently executed, 
and the owners of the fowls are one and all indebted, and 
that, too, in no slight degree, to Mr. Hewitt, on whom de¬ 
volved the daily and onerous duty of superintending the 
feeding and inspecting the condition of the birds. Early 
and late has he been thus occupied, and the remarkably 
healthy state of the poultry generally, is ample testimony of 
his most careful supervision. 
The following gentlemen officiated as Judges. 
Judges of Poultry. —The Honourable and Reverend 
Stephen Willoughby Lawley, Escrick Rectory, near York. 
George James Andrews, Esq., Dorchester. Mr. John Daily, 
Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, London. The Reverend 
Robert Pulleine, The Rectory, Kirby Wiske, near Tliirsk. j 
The Reverend William Wriothesley Wingfield, Gulval j 
Vicarage, Penzance. William Symonds, Esq., Rodwell 
House, Weymouth. Mr. Thomas Challenor, Burnt Leys, 
near Whitwell, Worksop, Notts. 
Judges of Pigeons. —Mr. Hale, Handsworth. Mr. T. 
L. Parker, Birmingham. 
Class 1 .— Goi.den-fencili.ed Hamburgii. —For the best Cock arul 
three Hens exceeding one year old.—6. First prize, Mr. William Clare 
Worrell, Rice House, Knotty Ash, Liverpool. 7 . Second prize, Mr. 
James Howard, Bedford. 5. Third prize, Miss Agnes Whittington, 
Wootton Wawen, near Hcnley-in-Arden. 
Class 2.— GoLnEN-rENCii.LED Hamburgh.— For the best Cock and 
three Pullets, Chicken of 1854.— 37 . First prize, Mr. William Tyler, 
Friday Bridge, Birmingham. 1 7 . Second prize, Mrs. Thomas L. Fcllowes, 
Beighton Rectory, Acle, Norfolk. 26. Third prize, Mr. John Lowe, Bull 
Ring, Birmingham. Commended.—27. Mr. William Clare Worrall, 
Rice House, Knotty Ash, Liverpool. . 
Class 3.—Golden-spangled Hamburgh.— For the best Cock and 
three Hens exceeding one year old.—52. Second prize, Mr. George 
Hartwell Perkins, Gothic Cottage, Stony Lane, Moseley, near Bir¬ 
mingham. 41 . Third prize, Mr. Charles Sturge, Frederick Street, Edg- 
baston, Birmingham. (First prize withheld.) 
Class 4.— Golden-spangled Hamburgh. —For the best Cock and 
three Pullets, Chicken of 1854.-74. First prize. The Silver Vase, 
Mr. Joseph Conyers, 42, Boar Lane, Leeds, 68. Second prize, Mr. 
Charles Horstall, Dufficld Bank House, near Derby. 102. Third prize, 
Mr. Joseph Tuley, Matchless House, Keighley, Yorkshire. 
Class 5.—SiLVER-rKNCiLLEi) Ham BURGn.— For the best. Cock and j 
three Hens exceeding one year old.—114. First prize, The Silver Vase, j 
Mr. C. S. Dixon, Sun Bridge, Bradford, Yorkshire. 110. Second prize, , 
Mr. Edward Archer, Malvern. 120. Third prize, Mr. C. S. Dixon, Sun j 
Bridge, Bradford, Yorkshire. 
Class 6.— Silver-pencilled Hamburgh.— For the best Cock and 
three Pullets, Chicken of 1854.—148. First prize, Mr. John Andrew, 
Waterhouses, near Aslitoii-under-Lvnc. 150. Second prize, Mr, William 
Cannun, Bradford, Yorkshire. 126. Third prize, Mrs. Thomas L. Fellovves, 
Beighton Rectory, Acle, Norfolk. Commended.—125. Miss Frances 
Pattcson, Fcniton Court, Honiton, Devonshire. 
