84 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 6, 18G0. 
language express themselves very much your humble servants; 
and that they value your money no less than your person.” 
M. Hervieux considers these German Canaries more delicate 
than the native-bred ones, and fills five pages with his reasons why 
they are so. 
W. A. Osbaldiston, Esq., in his “British Sportsman,” 1792, 
under the head of “ Canary Birds,” says, “But of late years there 
is a sort of bird that is brought in abundance from Germany, 
especially from Tirol, and are therefore called German birds, 
being a much better sort than the other, though their originals are 
supposed to have been first brought from the Canaries.” 
Even to the present day a great number of Canaries are 
annually imported into this country from Germany, and are 
well known to fanciers as German birds. Nor is it to England 
alone, but to many other countries, the Germans export 
Canaries. Some idea of the extent of the trade may be gathered 
from the following extract from one of our weekly news¬ 
papers :— 
“A Thousand Singing Birds tor America. —Amongst the 
'passengers’ by the ' Washington ’ steamer which left Southamp¬ 
ton on Wednesday with the United States mails, were upward of 
1000 singing Canary birds. A cabin was fitted up for them close 
by one of the paddle-boxes. Almost every one of the birds was 
in a separate cage. This cage is dome-shaped, and is of basket- 
work, about 8 inches long and 4 inches in height and width. 
Canary birds are exported in large numbers from Bremen 
to New York by the Southampton steamers, and they are 
collected from all parts of Germany. Although the cages are 
cleaned and the birds fed with great dexterity, it takes a long 
time every day to attend to so many. Some of the Canaries ex¬ 
ported from Bremen are famous for their song, particularly those 
from Saxony, and others are distinguished for their shape and 
colour. The latter kind of birds are half as long again as the 
ordinary Canary, their bodies are slender and arched like many 
of the birds of prey. They have long legs, their colour is a rich 
yellow, and their heads are beautifully spotted. Some of the birds 
taken out in the ‘ Washington ’ had won prizes at Antwerp.” 
The Germans as fanciers have many varieties; but that to 
which I now wish to draw attention seems to be the prevailing 
kind, most extensively, bred, and is the bird generally known as 
the German Canary. It is a small bird, the smallest variety of 
Canary which I know of; it is neat and pretty in shape, bearing 
some resemblance to a diminutive Norwich bird, which it also 
resembles in colour, being either Jonque or Mealy, sometimes 
almost white with red eyes—indeed, in general, if you look at the 
eyes with a strong light on the opposite side, the light shines red 
right through the head; it is considered tender and delicate of 
constitution, but is much prized for its sweet song. Some of the 
imported birds are taught to sing different songs by means of 
flageolet or organ, and according to their performance are they of 
greater or less value. 
There are, however, many very common and mongrel-looking 
birds sold in this country as German birds; and though they 
may, perhaps, come from Germany (which is very doubtful), still 
they can have no pretensions to the name of the German Canary. 
With this breed I conclude all the varieties of the Canary bird 
with which I am acquainted.— B. P. Brent. 
DEVIZES POULTRY SHOW. 
We are informed that the entries for this Show are for full 300 
pens, and including many from the most celebrated breeders. 
The most numerous entries are in the classes for Spanish, 
Dorkings, Cochin-Chinas, Game, Hamburghs, Bantams, and 
Ducks. The Show of Game fowls may be anticipated to be 
unusually excellent, and we should think it a likely Show for 
purchasers of all breeds to obtain birds at a moderate price. 
I fear the Judges’ opinions will be of little value unless they 
have been practical and experimental breeders of the variety. 
I have had to call attention to this absurdity before, as also the 
matching Yorkshire cocks with Lancashire hens, combining white 
tads and dark hackles—Black-breasted Red Shanghai cocks with 
Grouse hens instead of Partridge-coloured, all which is done to 
please the Judges—calling English fowls Hamburghs; Sussex 
fowls Dorkings ; Birchin Ducks pure Duckwings ; Black-breasted 
Reds Black Reds; and lastly, English Rabbits Himalayans.— 
B. P. Brent. 
HAMPSHIRE ORNITHOLOGICAL 
ASSOCIATION’S EXHIBITION of CAGE BIRDS. 
Thebe is a likelihood of the Exhibition at Southampton in 
December being the best ever held in the kingdom, not ex¬ 
cepting the Crystal Palace Show of feathered favourites. It is 
under most distinguished patronage; and the Committee have 
just now issued, in pamphlet shape, their code of regulations, 
together with the schedule of prizes given for nearly a hundred 
classes of birds. There 11111 be prizes of money, medals of 
different sizes, pieces of plate, and valuable cages, as well as 
cards of merit for special minor specimens. Successful com¬ 
petitors in very many instances will have the option of receiving 
medals or their value in money. We have pleasure in an¬ 
nouncing, for the information of exhibitors, that all cages and 
packages of specimens will be conveyed gratuitously by the 
South-western Railway Company, to and from Southampton, 
on all parts of their lines. 
The Committee will speedily publish further particulars in an 
official advertisement. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Comparative Hardiness of Dorkings (Banker).— The dark Dorkings 
have always been considered hardier than the lighter ones, but they are 
not as large. Having said so much, we may add that the constitutions of - 
all fowls have been so improved of late years, that old rules are hardly to i 
he observed, or old opinions to be received. We believe the Grey are now 
hardy enough for any climate, and it is beyond a doubt they are the best 
birds for the table. 
Size and Form of Poultry Baskets (E. H. £?.).—The first require¬ 
ment of a poultry basket is, that it be round, high enough for the birds to • 
stand upright in it, and that the top he strong canvass, so that if the birds 
fly or jump up they will not injure their heads. They should be quite 
3‘i inches high, 28 inches in diameter for four fowls, 22 inches for three, j 
made of ordinary wickerwork, and as close as possible. There is no ne¬ 
cessity for any contrivance for food. The fowl is in sorry condition and 
unfit either to travel or for competition, if it cannot hear any delay that is 
likely to occur. 
Varieties of Rabbits ( Ti. P. i?.). —The Dutch Rabbits are small, ! 
compact, hardy little animals, and very good breeders. They have very 4 
short, upright ears, and are generally parti-coloured. They have more the ; 
appearance of coloured wild Rabbits than of our English tame ones. We 
cannot say if these he the same as those mentioned by “ R. S. S.” The | 
Rabbits called Patagonians are of two kinds, one sometimes called the ! 
Hare-Rabbit and sold as a hybrid. The other is the Lapin Belier of the 
French. This latter is, we think, larger than any other. 
Rabbits for Profit ( W. IF.). —The best kind of Rabbit, if numbers be | 
required, is, we think, the little Dutch one above mentioned. Very fre¬ 
quently these Rabbits are, on account of their good qualities as nurses, 
used as such by breeders of the more delicate kinds. The common English 
brown Rabbit is large, fattens easily, hut is not to be depended on for 1 
breeding true to colour, as there are hardly any stocks where any great 
pains have been taken with them, so little have Rabbits been appreciated 
in England. 
Stze of Rabbit Enclosure (Idem). —It is difficult to assign a proper 
sized place for a hundred young Rabbits to fatten in. It would he better 
to have four smaller spaces than one large one. The dimensions may he 
left to choice and convenience. The young Rabbits fatten very easily if 
kept quiet. They should not he exposed where there is any chance' of 
their being worried by dogs, as they lose flesh very quickly when 
frightened or disturbed. At a rough estimate, we would say that a space 
twelve feet by six feet would make a good pen for young Rabbits when 
weaned. In such a one from twenty-five to forty might be kept. 
LACED WING-COVERTS IN SPANGLED 
FOWLS. 
I was pleased to see that Mr. James Dixon lias noticed the ab¬ 
surdity of requiring laced wing-coverts in otherwise spotted fowls. 
I believe the error arose from the different meaning of the word 
“ laced ” as now used, and as formerly applied in the old rules for 
Pheasant fowls—namely, 7th wing,— “4tli, The lacing, on top 
of the wing above the flight,” &c. Here the word “ lacing ” means 
a part of the wing, not the marking of it. 
LONDON MARKETS. —November 5. 
POULTRY. 
Prices have not been so well kept up during the past week. The 
unusually high prices of the last two months have checked the demand. 
Each— s. d. s. d. 
Large Fowls. 4 6 to 5 0 
Smaller Fowls. 3 0 ,, 8 6 
Chickens . 2 6,, 3 0 
Geese. 6 0 „ G 6 
Goslings . 0 0 ,, 0 0 
Ducks . 3 0 ,, 0 0 
Ducklings. 0 0 „ 0 0 
Each— s. d. s. d. 
Pheasants. 3 0 to 3 G 
Partridges . 2 0 ,, 2 3 
Grouse . 2 0 „ 2 3 
Pigeons. 0 8 „ 0 9 
Hares. 3 0 „ 3 3 
Rabbits . 1 4 ,, 1 5 
Wild ditto. 0 8 ,, 0 9 
