THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, March 24, 1857. 
435 
in every instance, given to birds most representing perfect 
specimens in each particular variety. 
I had no intention of being angry in my appeal to the 
Judges as to what, in future, were to be the characteristics 
of a Partridge Cochin cock. In again reading my letter 
to-day I must, however, admit that such feeling might be 
conveyed by it. My intention was simply to obtain from 
them, for my own and others’ guidance, the true qualifica¬ 
tions of such breed; and having been accustomed for so 
long a period to read in your pages the indispensable 
necessity of all such qualities as represented by the cock in 
pen 325, I must say I felt astonished to see a decision 
so completely contrary, and a bird possessing only weight 
and shape, without those qualities, carrying off the honours. 
I must apologise for having mentioned the name of the 
owner of pen 323 without his permission; it was, however, 
done thoughtlessly, and intended to convey to the casual 
reader the opinion of one so well qualified to judge of the 
merits of the successful bird, showing so strong a disposition 
to dispose of him almost on any terms. I never doubted 
his right to affix the price of £'20 to his bird in the catalogue; 
I only mentioned the fact, and then said he had been sold 
by auction for about 20s. The price of T100 placed upon 
pen 325 was, of course, understood by every one to be a 
prohibitory one. 
I was much pleased to read the particulars of the 
antecedents of pen 323. It does reconcile one to find that 
his good shape and size were not merely accidental, but the 
result of good and careful breeding, and I sincerely hope 
with your correspondent that during the coming season his 
produce may meet in competition with the produce of pen 
325, and so again contend in friendly rivalry. 
Having replied to “ The late Owner oe the Cock at 
Liverpool,” as I felt bound to do, I would now ask you, who 
have always shown so strong a partiality to this very 
beautiful breed, to use your influence with our late Judges, 
and obtain from them their opinion with reference to the 
qualifications of the cocks of this variety, my only desire 
being to obtain correct information as to their particular 
markings, &c., and to know if the previous views generally 
entertained and almost universally acted upon at Exhibitions 
have been erroneous.— Consistency. 
ON REARING ENGLISH SONGBIRDS. 
THE BLACKBIRD. 
The strongest birds are from the earlier broods, and 
these are often hatched by the end of March. The cocks 
are always darker than the hens, and are, therefore, easily 
distinguished. They should be taken from the nest when 
the quills of the wing and tail feathers are just appearing. 
Put the nestlings into a small covered basket, and keep 
them warm. I find a small basket, with a cross handle and 
a cover at either end, the most convenient; they will then 
readily open their beaks for food when the covers are raised. 
Half fill the basket with bran for the nestlings to rest on ; 
this I find cleaner than hay, but it must be changed 
frequently. To feed them :—Take a piece of crumb of stale 
bread, steep it for a few minutes in cold water, then squeeze 
it as dry as possible; have ready some hot milk, and pour 
as much upon the bread as it will just absorb. Great care 
must be taken that the milk is perfectly sweet, as, if this is 
not the case, disease and death are the inevitable fate of the 
nestlings. Allow the bread and milk to become cold before 
feeding the birds; prepare a quill by cutting it like a spoon ; 
take up a small quantity of the bread upon this, and feed 
the nestling with it when it opens its beak to receive it. 
Each bird requires five beaksful for a meal, and the meals 
must be repeated at intervals of two hours front sunrise to 
sunset. In addition to the bread and milk, young Blackbirds 
require a little uncooked lean beef cut into fine shreds, and 
if at all dry dipped in water. As soon as the young birds 
begin to peck, which will be when they are about a month 
old, they should be put into roomy cages, well sanded, and 
supplied with a jar of bread and milk, mixed with a little 
lean meat finely shred. They require plenty of fresh water 
both for drinking and bathing, and the cages must be kept 
thoroughly clean. With this care, and an occasional change 
of diet, Blackbirds may be preserved in health and song for 
ten or eleven years. Beclistein’s universal paste No. 1 suits 
this bird admirably, and for those who may wish to try it I 
copy the receipt. 
“ Take a stale, well-baked white loaf, put it into cold 
water until quite soaked through; then squeeze out the 
water, and pour over it boiled milk, adding two-thirds of 
flour. Mix into a stiff paste.” 
This must be made fresh every morning, as it soon 
becomes 'sour, and consequently hurtful. Of course the 
quantity of bread must be in proportion to the number 
of birds to be fed. Great care must be taken that the jar 
into which the food is put is kept perfectly sweet and clean. 
Want of attention to this point may be followed by the 
death of the bird in a few hours. 
In rearing birds, as in other more important employments, 
success in a great measure depends on punctuality, care, 
and patience; and if the charge of these little nurslings 
teaches us these invaluable lessons great will be our gain, 
and we shall never have cause to regret the maxim, “ That 
which is worth doing at all is worth doing well.”—M. M. 
[We shall be much obliged by a continuance of these 
practical notes.—E d. C. G.] 
I 
I 
AN INJURED RACE. 
Allow me to occupy a few lines in your paper, as lately 
no mention has been made of us. I am one of the Black 
Polish race. Why are we despised ? We combine many 
qualities that the Cochins, Dorkings, and Hamburghs 
cannot boast of. For instance, our eggs are as fine as most 
Dorkings’, and we do not eat nearly so much as either the I 
Dorkings or Cochins. 
Though the Hamburghs may lay more eggs they cannot 
compete with us in regard to size, and when they are 
“plucked” they look “very small,” whilst we, I have been 
told, fill a very good place at table. We are contented with 
our liberty for an hour a day; we care not for rambling like 
other fowls. Our rich .black plumage and white topknots 
are very handsome, and though for the first three months 
we are delicate, we well repay the care bestowed upon us, as 
after our infancy we are as healthy as other breeds. I heard 
the person to whom I belong say she prefers us to Spanish, 
Dorkings, or Hamburghs, all of which sorts she has kept in 
the last two years. We combine every quality but sitting, 
and in that respect we are not worse than our neighbours, 
the Spanish and Hamburghs, and, without being conceited, I 
must add, we are the favourite fowls of our mistress.— The 
Cackle oe a Polish Hen. 
POINTS IN BELGIAN CANARIES. 
Some of your friends, the Canary fanciers, have inquired 
through your paper what the points of a good Belgian bird 
should be for exhibition. I beg to say that I certainly do 
claim the honour of first introducing them into England. 
For many years I have been a fancier, and, having heard of 
these birds, I took a journey into Belgium, and brought 
some excellent specimens home, and have ever since bred 
them, occasionally going into that country to get fresh blood, 
as there is a disposition in the birds to degenerate into 
coarse-feathered, thick specimens, contrary to what a real 
Belgian ought to be. 
I now give the points, which are ten:—1st. Head small 
and flat. 2nd. High shoulders. 3rd. Narroiv across the 
shoulders, standing out at the back. 4th. Round in the 
back, and bow-shaped. 5th. Long in the ley. Gtli. Show 
the thigh well. 7th. Strip themselves well up. 8th. To j 
have a narrow, thin tail, to be shut up as one feather. Oth. To i 
have a small frill just at the chest. 10th. Not to be under 
six inches, as length is a point; but, above all, attention 
must be paid to shape, as, void of this, no bird can ever be I 
expected to obtain a prize. I have a pair of the Nottingham 
Show birds which possess these properties. 
There is a breed of birds, very long and coarse-feathered, | 
which are not the real Belgians, against which be guarded, 
as they spoil all the true breeds, which are so beautiful. 
I shall be very pleased to communicate with any of your 
Belgian fanciers, having had such experience in breeding 
this beautiful variety of Canary. — Thos. Moore, West 
Street , Fareham. 
