165 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 18, 1860. 
huge square fat sheep of the one and the three wee animals of 
the other. The horses, too, were very small but symmetrical— 
many will have seen them. We will inform those who have not 
they are very curious and exceedingly diminutive creatures ; 
they seem to possess all the obstinacy and selfwill of pets in 
general, together with a considerable amount of cunning. 
In every respect this must be considered the largest and most 
important Show yet held at the Crystal Palace. Entries, sales, 
And visitors were all on the increase, and the quality of the birds 
kept pace with them. Some disappointment and much incon¬ 
venience arose from the non-delivery of baskets by the Railway 
Company or Companies. This is wrong. It is no boon for a 
Company to offer to carry birds free if they believe the accept¬ 
ance of such an offer absolves them from the punctuality that 
would become compulsory if they received Is. or Is. 6d. as 
carriers. It is no modern grievance that Poultry Shows have 
with many railways. At these periodical gatherings thousands 
meet together, all brought by railway. In some instances there 
is no redaction of fares ; in others numbers are sufficiently 
important to justify excursion trains. In either case the profit 
is to the Company; and it is asking little when all that is 
claimed is that the birds should be forwarded speedily and 
punctually. None reap so much benefit from these exhibitors 
as directors and shareholders, and they should offer every facilily 
in their power—not to say some silver cups as prizes. These 
remarks are necessary; because birds that left their destination 
early Monday morning, and that would have been delivered in 
London the same evening, did not reach the Crystal Palace till 
half-past one on Tuesday !—many of them too late for any other 
purpose than to be looked at; while a few energetic amateurs, 
who brought their own birds down, reported more than a hundred 
baskets lying at the station. We say no more now, because 
some inquiry must take place. 
The first class of adult Spanish was a better, and, we think, a 
more numerous one than that of last week. We had not to 
complain of repulsive faces, and the hens were decidedly better. 
Mr. Rake’s pens were perfect, while those of Messrs. Lane and 
Teebay were of great merit. Our record of the Spanish classes 
will be an almost continuous list of first prizes for Mr. Rake ; 
chickens and two in single cocks all fell to his share—five prizes. 
Messrs. Rodbard, Smith, and Lane also deserve mention. 
The class for two Kens or Pullets does not fill as we antici¬ 
pated it would when we advocated its formation many years 
since. 
The giants of the Dorking class met a°ain with trifling altera¬ 
tion ; those that had been strengthened rising, while those that 
had to bear the brunt of both lost ground, as may be expected. 
Thus the Hor.. Mr. Yernon was first, Lady L. Thynne second, 
Capt. Hornby third, and Lady Winchester fourth. It may be 
difficult to say what changes may tako place when these pens 
meet again; but it is, we think, safe to say they will always have 
the prizes among them, unless they are weakened by sales, death 
or mismanagement. 
The Chicken class brought forty-six nominations—we cannot 
call them entries, for many did not appear till the afternoon, 
and, consequently, did not compete. This was in some cases 
cruel; for when the birds came there were many of them such 
as should have received distinction of some sort at the Judges’ 
hands. Among these was a pen belonging to Capt. Hornby. 
Lest, however, those who gained Commendations and High 
Commendations may be disposed to think lightly of them, and 
to doubt whether they should prize their honours highly, we 
will tell them they followed Lady L. Thynne, the Marchioness 
of Winchester, and Mr. Wakefield. 
Lady L. Thynne and Mr. Wakefield took the prizes in the 
Ken and Pullet class. 
Also, no classes have improved more than those for White 
Dorking. They mustered thirty pens; but the increase in 
quality is more remarkable than in numbers, and if the pro¬ 
gress be continued they will be nothing behind their Coloured 
brethren. Capt. Beardmore took both first prizes, Messrs. 
Antill and Wilcox second. We must repeat our commendations 
of these classes. 
Thirty-six Dorking Cocks competed for distinction ; Lady 
L. Thynne took first and second, Mr. Botham third. It was a 
good class, but the birds were not so good as those shown in 
7 and 8. 
The adult Cochin-Chinas were highly meritorious, two-thirds 
o.f the pens being mentioned by the Judges. Mr. Cattell was 
first, Mrs. Fookes second, and Mr. Tomlinson third. 
The Chickens were not so good as their sires, and they 
brought prizes to Messrs. Jcne3 and Kellaway, and Mrs. 
Herbert. 
The Grouse and Partridge birds improve, and brought us 
here some faultless specimens. Messrs. Stretch and Musgrove 
took the first prizes. Mr. Peplo Cartwright took two, and 
Messrs. Herbert and Stretch took the others. 
The White Cochins are losing ground, and but for Messrs. 
Chase, Dawson, and Peters, we could say nothing for them. 
Only two pens entered in the adult class! 
Cochin Cocks were good, and the two prize birds belonging to 
Messrs. Tudman and Yonge deserved their prizes. 
The Brahmas were among the best classes of these beautiful 
birds we have seen. Six adult pens were noticed by the Judges, 
and the same number of chickens. As usual, Messrs. Botham, 
Teebay, and Craigie took the prizes for Hens and for Single 
Cocks. 
Now begin the Game classes. Although among the most im¬ 
portant in an Exhibition, and although from their numbers and 
merit they deserve all the praise that can be given, yet in the report 
of a Show they occupy but little space. It can only be said, 
they were as usual all shown in perfect condition, and that each 
breed held its own. Fortunately for those who have to report, 
certain names are in themselves an eloquent comment in this 
as in other classes. Thus, when w r e give the names of Messrs. 
Camm, Marks, Moss, Archer, Hindson, Mason, Dawson, and 
Ballard, as first; Messrs. Cruwys, Monsey, Mathew, Cox, Moss, 
Burgess, Langdale, and Frere, as second; and Messrs. Worrall, 
Camm, Yernon, Hornby, Swift, Moss, Mathew, House, Ballard, 
and Burgess, as third ; it will be understood that all the most 
celebrated of our yards sent their representatives. While we 
commend them all, we are bound to say, there were very unusually 
good specimens of White , Piles, and Duckwings. Black and 
Brown Beds seem as near to perfection as may be. 
There would appear to be some almost insuperable difficulty 
in procuring Golden-pencilled Kambv.rghs with perfect combs. 
The breed was numerously represented, and the pens were above 
the average ; but there were none such as we eee sometimes, nor 
were they as good as at Birmingham. It will be making an 
unusual assertion when we say the adult Silver-pencilled were 
better than the chickens ; but it was so, and Mr. Kerr’s was an 
unusually good pen. 
With this exception we do not consider the Pencilled Kam- 
burgh classes strong as they have been of late. 
The Spangled were much better, and the contest was close for 
first and second prizes, but there were many imperfect combs 
here. Messrs. Bamforth, Worrall, and Lane took first and 
second prizes. 
The Silvers were very numerous ; and although the prize birds 
| were not, perhaps, better than the Golden , yet, as classes, they 
were certainly more meritorious. 
There were twenty-one pens of Chickens. Messrs. Teebay, 
Pearse, Thompson, Carter, and Lady Cornwallis, showed good 
birds. 
Messrs. Hyde and Beale took prizes for Single Cocks. 
Polands were more remarkable for quality than numbers. 
The different breeds brought thirty-five pens. Messrs. Dixon, 
Adkins, and Edwards had the lion’s share of honour, while w r c 
were glad to see one successful exhibitor sent from Dublin. 
The Malays are always good at the Crystal Palace ; but many 
of the birds shown this year had a sort of skinny dewlap, which 
we neither understand nor approve. London did not monopolise 
all the prizes this time ; one went to Suffolk and another to 
Wiltshire. 
The “ Varieties ” were well represented and supplied a good 
class of Silkies. It may also give rise to discussion, inasmuch 
as it produced what is called a cross between a Spanish hen and 
a Red Grouse, and a bird bred from them. 
The Golden and Silver-laced Bantams are certainly improving 
—they were more numerous and better than at preceding Shows. 
Blacks and Whites were stronger still, and produced beautiful 
specimens. 
The Game Bantams are now assuming large proportions in a 
catalogue, and we are bound to speak most highly of them. 
Twenty-three pens competed, and then twenty Game Bantam 
cocks. Here we must notice Mr. H. D. Bayley’s Black Red, 
which is, we think, one of the best birds w r e ever saw. 
Mr. Breavington reappeared in White Geese, his pen weighing 
G4£ lbs. ; while Mr. Mansfield’s brought 57 lbs. In Greys, the 
i Marchioness of Winchester’s first-prize pen weighed 63 lbs. 
