THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GEN ITEM AN, February 1, 1859. 
287 
so good a pen as that belonging to Mr. M. N. de Rothschild 
should have no more. The (Hold-laced Bantams' afforded an 
easy victory to Mr. Punchard, and the pen also received the 
silver cup. Mr. H. D. Bayley second. Mr. Bellyeald was first 
for Silvers, and Mr. II. D. Bay ley second. Mr. Ti'tterton and 
Mr. Percival were suooessful for Blacks and Whites. 
We were again pleased to see the name of Worrall in the 
Rouen, Buck list, and it took a place it was always used to—first 
and cup. Mr. Fowler dosevved the second. A familiar name 
(Mrs. Seamons) was at the head of the Aylesburys, and Mr. 
Abbott second. The birds shown in this class were, we think, 
among the largost wc have ever seen. Mr. II. D. Bailey gained 
first, for some very good brown Call Bucks, and Mr. Earle 
second, for Buenos Ayrean. 
Mr. Ballance occupied a position among Malay exhibitors 
which must be familiar to him. Mrs. Robinson first, for Anda¬ 
lusians ; Mr. John Robinson, for White Borkings. 
The Brahma Pootras were very good. Messrs. Fowler and 
Tecbay were, as usual, successful. Where was Mr. Botham ? 
Mr. Dixon swept the Poland classes, save in Silvers, where 
he was beaten by Colonel Clowes. 
There was a good class of Black Uaniburghs. Mr. Henshall 
was victorious. Mr. Archer was sole competitor for Cross-breeds , 
and, as might be supposed, they had a strong cross of Silver- 
pencilled Hamburghs in them. 
The Spanish Cocks mustered well, and the Birmingham decision 
was supported; Mr. Hyde’s cock, claimed, we believe, of Mr. 
Moore, of Hanley Castle, at Birmingham, was again first over 
good birds. Miss Rake was second. The Coloured Borkings 
were very good, especially Mr. Kearney’s ; but there were some of 
the most eccentric Silver Grey Cocks in that class we ever saw. 
The Cochin Cocks added to the laurels of Messrs. Chase and 
Stretch. The two precious metals, before alluded to, were at the 
head of the Gold and Silver. Mr. Worrall also won with Golden- 
spangled ; Mr. Dixon in Silver, and Messrs. Dixon and Ray in 
Polands. There was a great struggle for single Game Bantam 
Cocks. Mr. Stansfiekl was first, Mr. W. Worrall, second. All 
those single cocks were perfect birds. 
Now for the great class .—One Hundred Game Cocks, at £1 
each entry. The first prize went to Sir Pyers Mosty, second to 
Mr. G. Moss, third to Mr. H. Worrall, fourth to Mr. G. Moss, 
and fifth to Mr. T. Burgess, jun. Two of the five went to new 
names. It might be interesting to some of our readers, to hear 
the details of judging such a class. The time occupied was two 
hours and a half. The number of birds good enough to require 
careful handling was thirty-six, and some went four or five times 
through the process. The victory of Sir Pyers Mostyn is un¬ 
paralleled : with one entry, and little idea of winning, he de¬ 
feated all the best breeders of Game fowls in England. It is 
impossible to over-rate the merits of the successful birds. Mr. 
Moss’s were perfect. For beauty of plumage, and union of all 
essential points, the Duck-winged of Mr. H. Worrall was a re¬ 
markable bird. Mr. Burgess’s bird was a noble specimen. It 
was grievous to give such birds as 314, 315, 316, and 317, be¬ 
longing to Capt. Hornby and the Hon. W. Vernon, only high 
commendat ions; but there was nothing more to give. There 
were twenty-six high commendations, and eight commendations. 
The first-prize bird was immediately claimed at £10. Thus he 
will retain £50, instead of himself, from Liverpool. 
The Judges were the Rev. R. Pulleine and Mr. Baily. 
j the Malay; iudeed, any white bird, with a Cochin, will breed 
j the above colours. My only object in endorsing your statement, 
is, to pronounce my experience as to the truthfulness of your 
opinion.—W. H., Exeter. 
THE BRAHMA CONTROVERSY. 
IV hat nonsense persons who have a hobby contrive to pro¬ 
mulgate, even risking the axioms of common-sense in order to 
support a theory handed over to them, and of which they know 
just as much as they do of Bamum’s woolly horse. Your cor¬ 
respondent Alpha, as indeed yourselves, have indicated the strain 
of these Brahmas. You have gone quite deep enough, when 
stopping with Malay and Cochin. I will ju9t put you in pos¬ 
session of a wrinkle. Some years since, I kept a few very beau¬ 
tiful white Malays. Two cocks ran with some buff Cochins, at 
an oil’ farm, and the cross produced some very dark grey 
Brahmas : one young stag was kept, with a pea comb. He bred 
some good Brahmas, but met with an accident, when he, with all 
his progeny, was killed for the market, no reserve being placed 
on them. I found that the white Malay, with a buff Cochin, 
produced whites, buffs, blacks, and Brahmas—the cross as above 
indicated. To raise grey birds, is not particularly a property of 
The remarks which you made a few weeks back, in “ Our 
Letter Box,’’ has again started the controversy, whether 
Brahmas are a variety of Cochins, or a distinct breed, or whether 
the first birds were brought from the banks of the Brahma 
Pootra River. At present, I will not touch upon these ques¬ 
tions, but will make a few observations in answhr to “ Salop,” 
and others. 
I agree with “ Alpha,” that the so-called Brahmas, which 
have recently been exhibited and taken prizes, are very different 
from the handsome, well-shaped birds exhibited by Dr. Gwynne, 
in 1854. And further, can any one say, that they ever saw such 
birds amongst those that were imported from the United States 
during the years 1804 and 1855 ? or did our early supporters of 
Poultry Shows, and first introducers of Brahmas—viz., the 
Prince Consort, Dr. Gwynne, Mr. Davis, Mr. Fairlie, Mr. Fox, 
Miss Watts, Rev. Mr. Thursby, Mr. Shackle, &c.—ever possess 
such dark birds, and call them Brahmas? I say that they 
did not. 
I made a careful examination of all the pens of Brahmas at 
the Crystal Palace Show, and I came to the conclusion that pen 
442 were what I should call Brahmas. They were most like 
what Dr. Gwynne showed in 1854, and they were also most like 
the pens of Brahmas exhibited at the Birmingham, Metro¬ 
politan, and Surrey Gardens Shows, during 1854 and 1855. 
The pen of birds just mentioned were not perfection. One 
lien was very good, the other was ill. The cock, as regards 
shape, Ac., was a fine bird ; but, as to plumage, the neck hackle 
was rather too light in colour. 
We may truly say, what revolutions take place in affairs in 
a short time! Some of the present exhibitors of the dark 
birds called Brahmas, were dead against them in 1854. Now 
they turn round, and exhibit something of their own, and 
call them Brahmas. 
Although I have not publicly appeared in the poultry world 
for the last three years, I have been watching the quiet and steady 
progress it has been making. 1 have a great admiration for 
poultry, more particulary for the Brahmas : I must confess— 
“ With all their faults I love them still,” 
and hope yet to see them universal favourites.—A. B. C. 
PROLONGED INFLUENCE OE THE MALE 
BIRD. 
Another instance of the enduring influence of the male bird, 
that has come under my notice, was with a Game cock, that 
got by chance along with some Silver-spangled Hamburgh 
hens. At the latter end of January, he was amongst them, at 
different times, for three or four days, or perhaps more; for, there 
being a quantity of shrubs about the place, he was not noticed 
immediately; and the cock belonging to them being unwell,—not 
finished moulting,—would mope by himself, and take no notice 
of the hens or cock either. But, as soon as it was found out, 
the Game cock was sent away. The hens were all looking bloom¬ 
ing and well, and it was near a month before their own cock got 
well, and began to go about with them. They all began laying 
before the end of March, and continued till the end of May, 
before there were any eggs put to sit; the eggs not being taken 
from one hen, but out of a basket, mixed as they came, after being 
gathered from the nests. The result was, that more of the 
chickens partook of the characteristics of the Game cock, than of 
the Hamburgh. There was no other cock ever about the place 
after the end of January, but the one belonging to the hens.— 
Worcester. ____ 
NURSING LATE CHICKENS. 
Some poultry-keepers are fortunate enough to have two or 
three runs, so that they can separate the chickens according to 
age and sex. I have only one. I have deplored the loss of 
many chicks, when their mothers have left them, by the cruelty 
of those larger and stronger than themselves—nothing vexes me 
more. Last year, I determined to try an experiment, which 
answered so satisfactorily, that others may like to do the same. 
