330 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 30, 1859. 
character we are bound to respect in this county, where Charles 
Payne and the Pytchley flourish; but I cannot see how that makes 
“ W. H.” a better judge of poultry, and I very much fancy that 
the Brahmas, Andalusians, &c., which he speaks of as able to 
obtain three years ago would not have passed muster under the 
judgeship of Messrs. Baily, Hewitt, and Co. 
However, if “ W, H.” knows where to find that breed of 
Brahmas now, and they are really good, he will bo able to 
pocket a nice sum ; for I can assure him, that they are the most 
selling fowls of any distinct breed at the present day. 
As I am knowm to many old poultry fanciers as a breeder of 
Brahmas from the first, I sign my name in full.— Frederic 
Thursby, Abington Rectory, Northampton. 
CHARACTERISTICS OE DUCKWINGED GAME 
FOWLS. 
“ I-happen to have a very beautiful Duckwing Game Cock, and 
I want your advice as to the exact colour, &e., of the hens I 
should purchase to run with him, as I am anxious to rear next 
season some birds of the same good qualities and beauty of 
plumage as himself. I may describe him thus :—Black breasted, 
hackle and saddle light-straw colour, tail black, back rather dark 
maroon, shoulders same colour but rather lighter, and the bluish- 
purple band on the wings wide.”—W. C. W. 
[Your description is that of a good and pure Duckw-ingcd 
Game cock. The hens should have black and white-striped 
hackle, grey body, and robin or salmon breasts. You do not 
state the colour of the cock’s legs. You must be very careful to 
choose hens that match exactly in that respect. Be careful also 
that they have small, upright, and serrated combs. Every grey 
feather in the back should have a white shaft. 
Y’ou will get this paper in time to follow our advice. Go to 
the Crystal Palace Show, y T ou will see what you want directly, as 
there is a class of them.] 
BRADFORD POULTRY SHOW. 
This the second annual Show of Poultry, came off on the 
ground adjoining the Prince of Wales Inn, Bowling Old Lane, on 
August 19th and 20th. The Bradford Show a few years since 
first commenced by a committee and subscribers, but only had a 
short stand in that form, and w r as then taken up entirely as a 
private speculation by Mr. Hardy ; and through his perseverance 
had become, not the largest in the kingdom, but one that ought 
to have that support from exhibitors which a truly honest Show 
deserves. The satisfactory arrangements were of such a character 
as to deserve insertion in any columns. First, the pens were all 
that could be desired, for size and safety; and one more new 
feature had been added to prevent any suspicion as to the judg¬ 
ing being partial. All the pens are unnumbered until the Judge 
has passed his opinion, or given the prizes, so that no exhibitor 
knows his number of pen before being judged. 
The entries in the Game classes were moderate in number, but 
second to none in quality. The JEIamburghs were not so numerous 
perhaps, because the Gold and Silver-spangled formed one class. 
Tlie same with the Pencilled fowls, but both represented excellent 
specimens. This regulation will, no doubt, be altered another 
year. 
The Game fowls from Mr. Worrall were splendid. Also, the 
birds of Mr. Grimsliaw, of Pendle Forest; and the white Ban¬ 
tams of Mr. F. Hardy wero much admired. 
Mr. Thomas Dodds, of Ovenden, near Halifax, was Judge, and 
gave general satisfaction. 
Game (Black-breasted and other Reds).—First, Mr. Worrall, Ash House, 
Liverpool. Second, Mr. Grimshaw, Pendle Forest. Third, Mr. Wilkin¬ 
son, Low Moor. 
Game (Duckwings, Greys, and Blues).—First, Messrs. Bird and Beldon, 
Bradford. Second, Mr. Wilkinson, Low Moor. Third, Mr. Smith, Guisley. 
Chickens ,—First, Mr. Hudson, Horton. Second, Mr, Smith, Clayton. Third, 
Mr. J. Vickerman, Chickenby. 
IIamburghs (Gold and Silver-spangled).—First and Second, Messrs. Bird 
and Beldon, Bradford. Third, Mr. Baston, Bradford. Chickens.— First, 
Mr. Mitchell, Hippirbrolm. Second, Messrs. Bird and Beldon, Bradford. 
Third, Mr. J. Reece, Clayton. 
Hambcrqhs (Gold and Silver-pencilled).—First and Second, Messrs. Bird 
and Beldon, Bradford. Third, withheld. Chickens.— First, Mr. Bottomley, 
Shelf, Halifax. Second, Mr. J. Garrs, Wibsey. Third, Mr. Uolling, Horton. 
Bantams (any variety).—First, Mr. H. Frith, Birrly. Second and Third, 
Mr. F. Hardy, Bradford. ’ 
Bantams (any other breed;.—First and Third, Messrs. Eird and Eeldon, 
Bradford. Second, Mr. Baston, Bradford. 
Rep-Game Chickens. —First and Second, Mr. Grimshaw, Pendle Forest. 
Third, Mr. Hodgson, Bowling. 
Game Cock (any age or colour).—First, Mr. F. Worrall, Ash House, 
near Liverpool. Second, Messrs. Bird and Beldon, Bradford. Third, Mr. 
Bently, Low Moor. Fourth, Mr. Hodgson, Bowling. 
THE ENMITY" OF QUEEN BEES. 
Everyone has heard of the great regard that bees have for 
their queens, and that only one is supreme in a hive; also of 
the enmity which prevails between the queens. But some ima¬ 
gine that this hatred is less strong in young queens until they 
have met with the males, or are productive, as this is supposed 
to give them a stronger impulse for the care of the brood. This, 
however, is unfounded; for, according to the laws or rules of 
swarming, it is only the young queens that attack and destroy 
each other, both in the stocks and fresh swarms. Old ones 
seldom or never meet; indeed, they cannot, for they leave the 
hives a few days in advance of the births of their successors. 
But when bad weather, or some other cause, prevents the old 
queens from leading off swarms until the young ones are bred, 
then their fury is as great as it would have been in the next of 
succession—perhaps even more so ; for in such cases the queens 
destroy the whole brood of young ones, and, consequently, pre¬ 
vent swarming. 
This manner of proceeding is contrary to that of our wild bees, 
wasps, and hornets, whose queens live in unity until the colonies 
disperse at the end of the season. The workers and drones die 
off, while the queens pass the winter in a torpid, solitary state, to 
begin fresh nests in spring. This shows that their habits are 
suitable to our climate: not so the honey bee, which is always 
gregarious, and, consequently, its colonies often perish dining 
winter. 
I may further remark that when two queens of the honey bee 
| are confined in a pill-box, whether they are old or young, they 
attack each other ; which is not the case with those of humble- 
bees, wasps, and hornets. 
Naming the last one reminds me of a correspondent’s remarks, 
in a back number, on the hornet. Among some other interesting 
observations, he states, that at the end of the season he sent his 
hornet’s nest, containing the old queen, to the Entomological 
Society. I have have had some experience of hornets, and I 
never could discover the old queen, which founded the colony, 
from the numerous young ones bred at the end of the season. 
However, I may shortly know if there is any difference in size, 
for I have a colony of hornets in a beehive whose queen I made 
wingless.—J. Wiguton. 
NATURAL HISTORY". 
A clergyman in Yorkshire lias a two-year-old hen, Silver 
Pheasant, which laid on the 21st the sixty-fourth egg of the 
present season. 
I was much interested in the graphic account given by Mr. 
Hewitt, of the entombment alive of the Sparrow. I saw the 
same thing in London some years ago. It was at the corner of 
I Bennett Street, St. James’s, a place notorious formerly for the 
first arrival of Martins. I was attracted by an unusual noise (it 
was at 4 o’clock a.m.) and spent more than an hour watching the 
process. The streets had been watered, and the Martins in scores 
fetched the material for the operation, while several prevented 
the Sparrows from getting out. The operation lasted about an 
hour.—B. 
LONDON MARKETS. —August 29. 
POULTRY. 
An unusually small supply prevents any great change in last week’s 
j Prices. The arrivals of Grouse are large, but there are so many spoiled by 
the heat, and so many old birds, that quotation is difficult. Some are only 
nominally sold, while very fresh birds make good prices. We are sorry to 
see unmistakeable signs of much disease. 
Each—s. d. s. d. 
Large Fowls. 4 0 to 4 C 
Smaller ditto . 3 0 ,, 3 6 
Chickens . 2 0 ,, 2 6 
Geese. 5 C „ 6 0 
Ducks . 2 6 ,, 3 0 
Each—s. d. s. d. 
Turkeys. 0 0 to 0 0 
Grouse . 1 0 ,, 3 6 
Pigeons . 0 8 ,, 0 9 
Rabbits . 1 4 ,, 1 5 
Wild ditto. 0 7 ,, 0 8 
