68 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, October 30, 1860. 
Ranee (March). Knight’s Monarch (January). Dunmore (October). 
Louise Bonne (October). Glou Morceau (January). Hacon’s Incomparable 
(December). Passe Colmar (December). Beurr6 d’Aremberg (January). 
Gratioli (September). Winter Nelis (December). Jean de Witte (February). 
Namss or Plants (An Amateur, Tyrone).— Your plant is not at all like 
Saxifraga purpurescens, but appears to be some Sedum allied to S. ana- 
campseros. We never heard of such a plant as “ Chelidonicum japonicum.” 
There is a Chelidonium japonicum, but we have no experience concerning 
it. Ferraria, or more properly Tigridia pavonia has orange-scarlet 
flowers spotted ■with red. Those of Conchiiflora have the ground colour 
yellower. (0. P. O.). —We do not recognise the plant which bore the seeds 
you enclosed. (A. Robertson). —The yellow-flowered plant isChrysocoma 
linosyris. The others are Veronica virginica and Astrantia minor. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
November 7th. Devizes and North Wilts. Hon. Sec., Geo. Saunders 
Sainsbury, Rowde, Devizes. Entries close October 13th. 
November 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. West of Scotland Ornitholo¬ 
gical Association, Glasgow. (Pigeons and Canary Birds.) Sec,, 
Thos. Buchanan, 74, Argyle Street, Glasgow. 
December 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. Birmingham. Sec., Mr. John B. Lythall, 
Offices, Unity Buildings, Temple Street, Birmingham. Entries close 
November 1. 
December 6th. Hvll and East Riding. Sec., G Robson, 25, Waterwork 
Street. Entries close November 22nd. 
December 12th, 13(h, and 14th. Northern Counties (Darlington). 
Sec., J. Hodgson, Darlington. Entries close Nov. 19th. 
December 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th. Crystal Palace. (Poultry, Pigeons, 
Rabbits, Ornamental Water Fowl, and Pheasants). Sec., Mr. W. 
Houghton. Entries close November 10. 
December 18th and 19th. Lord Tredegar’s, at Newport, Monmouth¬ 
shire. Sec., Mr. C. H. Oliver, Commercial Street, Newport. Entries 
close Nov. 21st. 
December 21st and 22nd. Halifax Pigeon Show. Sec., D. R. Edgar. 
Entries close December 8th. 
Decemeer 28th and 29th. Kendal. Hon. Secs., G. C. Whit well and 
T. Wilson. 
January 30th and 31st, 1861. Ulverstone. Hon. Sec., Mr. T. Robinson. 
The Gill, Ulverstone. ’ 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
SILVEE-SPANGLED HAMBUEGHS. 
We are happy to do that which two of our subscribers ask, 
and to record our opinions and ideas on birds of the above breed. 
There has always been a feud between Yorkshire and other parts 
of England in this matter. The former had adhered to black 
breasts, the latter has them spangled. We must, however, take 
objection to the term “ laced Hamburghs.” There were such 
formerly, and many can recollect the birds exhibited by Mr. 
Fisher, of Blandford. They had a long run of success, which 
was made easy by their remarkable beauty and the brilliancy of 
their colours, but it became patent to close observers there was 
in them a cross of the Silver-laced Bantams. Neck and tails 
were perfect, but they w T ere indeed laced, every feather being 
correctly edged with black. They also diminished rapidly in 
size, and a stand was made for better birds, or, at least, some 
that would be free from the proof of impurity. It was then the 
difference of opinion arose between Yorkshire and the rest of 
England; and there was also another heresy, that of the hen-tails. 
Among the partisans of the latter was one of the most talented 
men ever enlisted in the poultry cause; we allude to Dr. 
Horner, of Hull. About this time we for comparison and know¬ 
ledge’ sake, claimed the first prize pen at a Show of Hamburghs 
somewhere near Huddersfield. It was said the decisions would 
be those of practised and admitted Hamburgh Judges. No 
doubt they were so, and our first prize cock was a black-breasted, 
over-combed, semi-hen-tailed, ill-looking creature. These heresies 
died away, and we thought, save some few enthusiasts in remote 
nooks and corners, amateurs were agreed on the points to be in¬ 
sisted upon. When clear tails, white foundation colour, and 
accurate spot at the tip were insisted upon, we first began to 
lose the lacing; previous to that all the best specimens had the 
barring and lacing on the wings. While we are quite prepared 
to acknowledge any lacing on the body to be a grave fault, we 
must think it desirable on the wings; and all who keep them 
will be ready to admit that, with the requirements of the present 
day in the way of colour and markings on the body, these on the 
wings are difficult of attainment. If these barrings and lacings 
were obtained by the sacrifice of other points, it might be neces¬ 
sary to weigh the cost lest we might purchase them too dearly. 
Take this occasion at Worcester, and it was there seen the pen 
in question, equal in every other point to the other competitors, 
was superior in this. Our own experience is, that wherever we 
meet with the point now objected to, we find better colour and 
better spangling, and we know we have a better bird to breed 
from. ‘We have always held it to bean important feature of 
excellence, and quite as desirable in Spangled Hamburghs as in 
Spangled Polands. We are not aware that it is any novelty, or 
that opinions or decisions have varied. Prize pens have been 
common which lacked this, in our eyes, important merit, but 
such only had the prize because they were the best, and not 
because they were perfect. 
We have often had occasion of late to remind exhibitors and 
our readers of this fact, that prizes are given to the best in a 
class ; but it does not necessarily follow they were as good as 
could be. So that if a pen were shown to a friend as having 
gained the first prize at the forthcoming monster Meeting at 
Birmingham, it would not, of necessity, present a perfect specimen 
of the breed. If an amateur were to task himself to produce the 
counterparts of those that were shown to him as the highly suc¬ 
cessful birds, he would in all probability only secure disappoint¬ 
ment. It cannot have escaped notice, that Silver-spangled 
Hamburghs have not kept pace with many other breeds in the 
march of improvement of late. A constant cause of complaint 
is, deficiency of colour and spangling ; the hackles have become 
almost white, the spangling faint and irregular, the wing little 
marked in any way. 
The only compensation has been that the tails have become 
clearer and better. It seems to be certain that perfection shall be 
almost impossible, and that the plumage of a bird shall have a 
sort of compensating ride—that if you take colour out of one 
part of the body you shall lose it all over, instead of being able 
to take it from one and place it on the other. Take Pencilled 
Hamburghs for instance. Pencilled tails were asked for and 
obtained, but it cost the clear hackles ; and clear tails in the 
Spangled have cost bold spangling, and laced and barred wings. 
Such being our opinions, we do not hesitate to record them and 
to say we admire the barred and laced wing. We shall gladly 
hail its re-appearance, and look to it as the harbinger of the 
renewal of a class which has of late fallen below its Golden and 
its Pencilled fellow's. It must be recollected, we publish only 
our own opinion, and we gladly offer our columns to those of 
others. 
There is some truth in the fact of certain Judges having 
crotchets. Like Bumble, they are but men. We have heard 
some of them say, one objection they had to acting alone was 
lest they should give way to any peculiar opinion. For this 
reason we have always advocated plurality of them; and we have 
heard one of our largest breeders and most successful exhibitors 
declare he had a pen for every Judge, and some “ flat-catchers n 
for novices. 
We will conclude with one more remark. We have long 
thought, and we believe, the points of the different breeds are 
well known and understood. The continual success of certain 
well-known pens is a proof of it. They were judged at different 
places by different Judges always with the same result. While 
these latter have to guard carefully and jealously lest they 
decide according to any opinion peculiar to themselves, exhibi¬ 
tors must not be disappointed if points much approved in 
localities are not equally appreciated everywhere else. 
The Birmingham Cattle and Poultry Show. —The entries 
for the approaching Show will close on Thursday next, the 1st of 
November. All who require certificates should immediately 
communicate with Mr. Lythall, the Secretary. The same day is 
also the last on which entries can be made for the exhibition of 
Dogs, as considerable time will be required to make the necessary 
arrangements and to prepare the fittings in the ^Repository. 
SILVEE-LACED SPANGLED HAMBUEGHS. 
This variety appears to have been exhibited at the late 
Worcester Show, and obtained the first prize. Now, in York¬ 
shire, where most of the best birds of this class are bred, those 
with laced wings are considered as imperfect, and would be 
disqualified by Yorkshire Judges. They are not uncommon ; 
but as perfection in all points is the aim of breeders, it would 
be considered ridiculous to breed from a specimen with any 
tendency to lacing; the natural consequence is we have more 
with the spangled wings. 
