402 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 22, 1857. 
About half-past nine I was at supper, when the maid 
rushed in. 
“ There is the uproar again among those tilings in the 
orchard! ” 
I ran out, and it was indeed an uproar—chickens 
running about screaming, hens making every noise that 
they can make. I was especially led to one. She had 
four chickens left of fifteen, and she had lost the four 
the previous night. One of her poor surviving brood lay 
bleeding outside the bars of the rip, another was partly 
eaten, and the remaining two were not to be found. I 
could see nothing in the rip, not even with the aid of a 
candle; but satisfied, from the hen’s attitude and excite¬ 
ment, that the offender was there, and believing it was a 
rat, I fetched a dog, and turned the rip suddenly over. 
There was in one corner rolled up the largest hedgehog 
I have ever seen. I immediately killed it, and have lost no 
chickens since. I am sure I speak within compass when I 
say it had taken thirty chickens. 
house Pigeon, with some rather long feathers growing up 
from the head. When Mr. W. Woodhouse’s plate appeared 
in the Poultry Chronicle I showed it to him, and he 
assured me that, so far as he could see, the Pigeon in ques¬ 
tion was crested just the same. , We both made inquiries 
respecting it, but could not discover whence it came or 
whither it went. 
It seems strange that nature should take two such similar 
freaks, but it goes rather to strengthen my opinion that a 
crested variety does exist, and that these curiosities are a 
cry back to a cross which may have happened very many 
years ago, even as at the present time some of the families 
of Turbits are crying back, and occasionally throw dark¬ 
tailed young ones such as the fanciers a century back 
admired.— B. P. Brent. 
P.S. I have to thank Mr. Tcgetmeier for his information. 
My omission of the Silver-shouldered Turbits was an over¬ 
sight ; but, be the judges’ opinions what they may, I still 
regard the smooth head as the original. 
THE EFFECT OF THE SEASON ON FOWLS. 
The drawing in of the days and the comparative chilli¬ 
ness of mornings and evenings warn us that the summer is 
gone, and that warmer clothing will soon be required. The 
dislike to meat is fast passing away, and the popping of 
soda-water corks is heard less frequently. Everything 
tells us we are now in a state of transition, and careful 
elderly relatives warn all, and especially sickly ones, that 
they must take care of themselves. 
Fowls are as subject to these changes as we are, and they 
are now at a trying time. The old worn-out plumage of the 
spring and summer is being shuffled off, that the new 
feathers may supply -warmth during the winter. This is 
an effort of nature, and the birds should now be more 
generously fed. There is not so much food to be found in 
the grass and on the ground, and they require a little 
stimulating. If you have young chickens be careful to feed 
them the last thing at night and the first thing in the 
morning. The nights are getting long for them. In the 
cold, drizzling, rainy days we have sometimes at this time 
of the year give them some bread soaked in strong beer. 
If you have no sheltered places for them make some. 
They are only required temporarily, and a few hurdles 
will make them. Feed three times every day, and let two 
meals be of soft food. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Diseased Potatoes (An Inquirer ).—We are feeding adult fowls 
with them after boiling and mashing the Potatoes, and mixing them 
with a little barleymeal. Your ducks might be fed in the same way. 
Unfeathered Chicken (T. M. W .).—Kill it; for otherwise in the 
winter it will suffer greatly, despite all the care you may bestow upon it. 
Cochin-Chinas apparently Spanish ( Henricus ).—Wait until 
they are full grown. Black Cochins often appear among broods of pure¬ 
bred Buffs and Partridge-coloured. Mr. Punchard is too trustworthy a 
man to have deceived you. He has met you fairly, and if the chickens 
really grow up into cross-bred adults all that we should ask of Mr. 
Punchard would be to give as many more eggs as there occurred impure 
chickens in the first dozen. 
White Dorkings with Topknots (A Subscriber ). —There are no 
such fowls. White Dorkings have no topknots, and any birds re¬ 
sembling them and having such topknots must be a cross between 
them and the White Poland. 
Variety of Pigeon. —“Can you detect what Pigeon answers to the 
following description ? viz., about the size of a Rock, tuft on the head 
like a Barb, yellow iris round the eye, head rather long, somewhat like 
an Archangel. They are good fliers. Plumage, bronze-coloured wings, 
with black flight and tails; feathers on the neck of a brilliant hue. 
I was told that they came from Australia, but perhaps you will know for 
certain.”—A. B. 
[I am unable to reconcile “ A. B.’s ” description with any variety of 
domestic Pigeon known to me. Had he described it as having a white 
head instead of a “ tuft ” I should suppose he alluded to the Australian 
Bronze-winged Pigeon.-—B. P. B. 
PIGEONS. 
Class 10.—CRESTED PIGEONS (Columba domestica 
cristata). 
I am somewhat doubtful if I ought to place this almost 
fabulous variety so prominently before my readers, and 
assign a class to a bird the existence of which is scarcely 
established; and I can only recount the rumour I have 
heard that at Constantinople Pigeons are to be met with 
which have crests like our crested fowls. I believe inquiries 
and search are being made to obtain some of the variety in 
question, to bring them to this country, but as yet they 
have not succeeded. 
In the old Poultry Chronicle of March, 1855, is a plate 
given of a Baldhead Pigeon having a crest of six feathers on 
the head, with the following description :—“ This curious 
Pigeon is alive and in my possession. It is a pure-bred 
Baldpate, of which it has the properties, viz., clean cut, 
pearl-eyed, clean-thighed, and ten aside. It is the only one 
in the world, and is a cock bird. Several competent judges 
have seen it, and consider it a freak of nature; but, whatever 
{ it is, it is a wonder. Several of my friends wish me to breed 
i from it to get more, but of this I am doubtful.”— W. Wood- 
i house, Mansfield Street , Kingsland Road. 
Shortly before the above account appeared a neighbour 
ot mine, Mr. James Pryer, who is a Pigeon fancier and an 
acute observer, on whose accuracy I can depend, informed 
me he had seen something curious in the Pigeon line in 
Sevenoaks. He described it as a common chequered Dove- 
LONDON MARKETS. —September 21st. 
COVENT GARDEN. 
Markets abundantly supplied and trade dull; indeed, heavy work to 
clear off the stands since a few fine days have enabled the growers to get 
down a large quantity of fruit. Foreign imports comprise Melons 
Grapes, Pears, Apples, and Plums. West India Pines are now over. 
Among Vegetables none but the ordinary kinds are now to be had. 
Potatoes much diseased: large quantities to hand both coastwise and 
by rail. 
I 
POULTRY. 
The demand for poultry continues unusually small. The supply of 
everything is more than ample, if we except Grouse. They are scarcer 
than we have seen for many years. 
Large fowls 4s. 6d. to 5s. Od. each 
Smaller do. as. 6d. to 4s. Od. ,, 
Chickens.. 2s. Od. to 2s. 6d. ,, 
Gjeese .... 6s. Od. to 6s. 6d. ,, 
Ducks .... 2s. 6d. to 3s. Od. ,, 
Partridges. 
Grouse .... 3s. 6d. to 4s. Od. each 
Pigeons . /d. to 8d. ,, 
Rabbits .. Is. 4d. to ls.5d. ,, 
Wild ditto.. lOd. tols.Od. ,, 
Leverets.... 3s. Od. to 3s. 6d. ,, 
. 8d.to Is. 6d. 
London: Printed by Hugh Barclay, Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published for the Proprietors 
at The Cottage Gardener Office, No. 20, Paternoster Row, in 
the Parish of Christ Church, City of London.—September 22, 1157 * 
