50 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 21,1856. 
lie fairly said, was tliere first undertaken, and how wisely 
and how liberally the work has been ever since carried on 
by that body is beyond all question. When we are told, 
therefore, that its expenditure has exceeded the receipts, 
and wo remember for what object this outlay has been 
incurred, those who have benefited should at once come 
forward to its aid, and on the principle, moreover, that 
“ bis dat qui cito dat.” There is, in truth, but one reply to 
the inquiry, “What would have been the present position of 
our domestic poultry had not its cause been thus ably and 
munificently advocated at Birmingham?” and that is, 
“ Not that which it has now reached.”—W. 
{To be continued.) 
BIRMINGHAM POULTRY SHOW PRIZE LIST. 
For the following we are indebted to the Midland Counties 
Herald, and we will preface it with this extract from the 
lei ter of a well-known Pigeon breeder. 
“ I must own at first I was sorely puzzled to discover 
why the selection of varieties (of Pigeons) should be made. 
1 inquired of many old and first-rate fanciers why Fantails 
should be specified, to the exclusion of Barbs; Nuns to the j 
exclusion of Owls; Jacobins to Turbits ; or Balds and ; 
Beards to Mottled Tumblers; but all, like myself, felt com¬ 
pletely at sea for a reason." 
He then suggests a reason, which we do not feel justified 
in publishing. 
“ The total amount offered in prizes for Domestic Poultry 
is the same as in 1855; but some judicious modifications 
have been made in its distribution. The prizes for Golden 
and Silver-spangled and Pencilled Hamburghs, and Black', 
Golden, and Silver Polish, remain as last year; but the i 
third prize has been withdrawn in both classes for Polish | 
Fowl of any other variety. In the four classes for Spanish j 
and Coloured Dorkings, first, second, third, and fourth j 
prizes of Ti, AM, £2, and XT respectively, are now offered— 
a change which will prove acceptable to many of the leading 
supporters of the Show, and which was proved to be de¬ 
sirable by the extent and character of the competition. The 
third prizes for White Dorkings, Black and White Cochins, 
‘ Brahma Pootra,’ and Malay, are withheld; but in the ! 
classes for single Cocks there is a third prize of 10s., for | 
Spanish, Dorking, and Game Fowls. The subjoined note 
appears to the classes for Brown and Partridge feathered 
Cochins:— 1 It has been proposed to place at the disposal of 
the Council a sufficient sum to offer Two Silver Cups, in¬ 
stead of First Prizes, in the two preceding classes.' Seven 
Silver Cups, of the value of Ten Guineas each, xvill be j 
awarded, instead of money prizes, for the best pen of Pen- I 
filled Hamburgh, Spangled Hamburgh, Polish, Spanish, 
Dorking, Cochin-China, and Game. The ordinary classes 
l'or Bantams remain unchanged; but, instead of one Silver ( 
Cup of the value of Ten Guineas, it has been determined to 
offer two of the value of Five Guineas each ; the first for the 
best pen of Gold or Silver-laced, and the second for the best 
pen of any other variety. The prizes for Geese, Ducks, 
and Turkeys have not been altered. In Pigeons, the Balds 
and Beards will each have a distinct class ; and Two Silver 
Cups, of the value of Five Guineas each, will also be 
awarded—one for the best three pens of Almond Tumblers, 
Carriers, and Pouters; and the other for the best five pens 
of Fantails, Nuns, Balds or Beards, Jacobins, and Trum¬ 
peters. Tiiis change is in accordance with the expressed 
wishes of many of the leading amateurs throughout the 
country, and will be found a great improvement upon the 
i arrangement of last year—establishing, in fact, an intelligible 
j rule in the place of that which was uncertain and unsatis- 
| factory, and which placed the Judges in an unfavourable 
1 position. 
I “ No prizes are this year offered for Cottagers’ Poultry, 
; some objections, apparently well founded, having been made 
| with respect to the evasion of tho rules laid down for the 
; competition in this department, and especially as relates to 
i the ownership of tho fowls entered. The following new 
i r- gulation, which was, however, communicated to the Judges 
of lari year by a special resolution of the General Purposes 
Committee, has been added:—• 
“ ‘ It will be an instruction to the Judges of Poultry to 
i take into consideration the ages of the fowls sent for com¬ 
petition, as set forth from the certificates in the books pre¬ 
pared for their guidance; and if perfectly satisfied that in 
any case the age has been incorrectly stated, to disqualify 
such fowls ; and no appeals from the decisions of the Judges 
shall be entertained, either with regard to disqualifications 
on account of age, or in consequence of the entries having 
been made in a wrong class, or upon any other grounds 
whatsoever.’ 
“ The regulation as to the proprietorship of fowls is con¬ 
fined to the simpde condition that ‘ all the specimens must 
be bond fide the property of the exhibitor.’ The arrange¬ 
ment by which the cock or the hens in a pen might be sold 
separately is not continued, as it was found to interfere 
greatly with the despatch of the birds at the close of the 
Show. It has been determined, also, to strike out the 
sentence by which it was intended to confine the Show to 
amateurs only—a rule which lias always been unnecessary, 
and has led to much ill-feeling. Exhibitors of Pigeons 
only may enter six pens in any of the ordinary classes, or 
eight pens in competition for the two Silver Cups, but not 
moro than two pens of any one variety in a class. The con¬ 
ditions upon which entries of Poultry can be made are set 
forth in. our notice of the Prize Lists for Stock ; but we 
may mention here that, notwithstanding the payment on 
each pen, the old rule remains in force which limits the 
subscriber to two pens in any one class, and not more than 
four pens in the whole. 
“ We have thus noticed the principal features in the new 
lists; and we would urge upon intending exhibitors that 
they should not delay to apply to the Secretary for the re¬ 
quisite certificates, as the entries close on the 1st of No¬ 
vember, the Show being held in the first instead of tire 
second week in December. This change in the fixture 
places the Birmingham Meetings one week earlier than 
those of the Smithfield Club, and we may reasonably 
anticipate the show of stock will be much larger in con¬ 
sequence.” 
FANCY PIGEONS. —First Division. 
Class No. L—WATTLED VARIETIES. 
{Continued from page 33.) 
Variety 2.— THE SCANDAROON, OR GREAT 
HORSEMAN {Columba tuberculosa). 
French. German. 
Pigeon Bagadais. Bagadotten Tatjee. 
This is another breed of the Wattled Pigeons; but there 
appears to be a difference in respect to the size of the birds 
