317 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Febritaky 15, 1859. 
poor bird, and drew so largely upon her system, as to render her 
as thin as a skeleton, that I decided on attempting its removal. 
I accordingly opened her skin by a cross cut, and found imme¬ 
diately under it, and firmly attached to the flesh of her breast, a 
callosity of the size of a duck’s egg. With the aid of a lancet 
and a sharp penknife, I removed it, and it weighed a trifle over 
two ounces. It was permeated by minute blood vessels; con¬ 
sequently there was a very considerable effusion of blood, and the 
poor hen was reduced to a very debilitated condition. But I 
sewed up the skin, and kept her on soft, cooling diet, and she 
rapidly recovered both strength and flesh. This operation was 
performed on the 12th of December, 1858. 
The bird went on very well till about the 14th of January, 
when I observed indications (chiefly in the querulous tone of her 
voice), that all was not as it should be. I was anxious to save 
my hen, and as her appetite continued excellent, I hoped by my 
very great care to do so ; but on the morning of the 18th of 
January I found her dead. Nothing now remained but to 
ascertain the cause of her disorder, if possible. On skinning her 
I discovered the whole surface of the flesh of her neck, higher 
up than the part where I operated, to be coated with a thick layer 
of purulent coagulation. Beds of the same had formed in the 
sockets behind her eyes, and had pushed forward her eyes them¬ 
selves, in a way for which, during her life, I could not account. 
Internally, her larynx and windpipe were coated with the same 
pus, and one or two small concretions (evidently of the same pus 
hardened), were taken from various parts. The lining of her 
crop, her gizzard, her ovaries, and her other viscera, were all in a 
healthy state; but a small vein near the occiput, and another 
under the left wing, were distended with black blood. So that I ■ 
conclude that the immediate cause of death was apoplexy ; and 
the condition of the brain itself verified this conclusion. But I 
am puzzled to find the cause of this extensive accumulation of 
matter. I have kept fowls these thirty years, and have had all 
sorts of diseases under my care; but this is a case that I do not 
understand. Can you throw light on it ?—W. H. B. 
TRIMMING SPANISH FOWLS. 
In your “Letter Box” of the 1st inst., in reply to a cor¬ 
respondent under the above heading, I observe you say, “ That 
from inquiries, we are able to state positively, neither the cock 
in the single class, nor in the chicken prize pen, were trimmed, 
or in any way altered from their natural state.” 
The above paragraph, I presume, applies to the awards at the 
Crystal Palace. You must be labouring under a very strong 
misapprehension ; as I am prepared to prove, most positively, that 
both the Spanish cocks referred to were trimmed. In fact, the 
servant of the owner of the birds admitted to me that such -was 
the case, and an examination of the birds will prove they were 
trimmed up to the comb. 
Now, I ask, if as you say, “ Many birds were trimmed, both 
at Liverpool and the Crystal Palace, and they were very properly 
disqualified,” why were the birds which are the subject of this 
letter, permitted to win first prizes, when others were disqualified ? 
—A Spanish Exhibitor. 
[It is quite true that we inquired about the alleged trimming 
of the Spanish cocks at the Crystal Palace Poultry Show. The 
reply was from a first-rate authority, and negatived the charge. 
The letter we now publish comes from a gentleman, who adds, in 
an accompanying note, “ If any denial appear from the owner of 
the pen, I authorise you to give up my name.” We readily 
publish this note, therefore, because it is very evident, from other 
communications which have reached us, that the trimming of 
Spanish fowls for exhibition is an increasing practice.— Eds.] 
PRESTON AND NORTH LANCASHIRE 
POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
Last week we gave the list of the awards of the Judges, and 
we will now append a few remarks with which wo have been 
furnished. The birds exhibited were numerous, and first-rate; 
but it was not to be expected that the awards would be satis¬ 
factory, when one of the Judges was a resident where the Show 
was held. We except from the general dissatisfaction the awards 
in the Pigeon classes. 
It is to be regretted that the Committee persist in having two 
tiers of pens. The birds in the lower tier cannot be seen. Thus 
one of the best pens of Game was behind a pillar, and were un¬ 
noticed. The Dorkings were very superior ; and the prize pens 
belonging to Capt. Hornby were much admired. The Secretaries, 
to whom much praise is due, inform us that the Judges regretted 
that there was no prize for Turkeys, as those sent by Miss 
Ffarington, of Worden Hall, Ley land, richly deserved a prize. 
The Spanish were good classes. Single Game Cock class ex¬ 
cellent, but badly judged. Game Bantams excellent. We have 
so recently remarked upon the same birds, as they appeared at 
Liverpool, that we need not repeat our comments ; nor should we 
have added more, if we had not received the following from a 
correspondent, who, in an accompanying note, furnishes us witli 
her name:— 
“ Relying fully on the good faith of the Committee of the 
Preston Show—as advertised in the schedule sent to me—‘ that 
all specimens with clipped, drawn, or trimmed plumage will bo 
excluded from taking prizes,’—the more so, as 1 readjust below, 
in large type, the instructions on this point to the Judges—I 
sent my birds untrimmed. What was my astonishment to see, 
that all the birds in the Spanish classes, or nearly so, to whom 
prizes had been awarded, were trimmed to an extent I never saw- 
equalled. So that the birds which were excluded last week at 
Liverpool from this cause, at Preston were distinguished in the 
prize list. That the Committee did not keep faith with myself, 
and others, who gave them credit for what they stated, being 
carried out, admits of no question ; and, as I do not intend for 
the future, to exhibit under such disadvantages, or to let, by the 
trick of trimming, much inferior birds to mine figure in the prize 
list, I wish to ask you to devise a plan of settling the question, 
as to how Spanish fowls are to be shown : otherwise, I shall 
protect myself (my yard being sufficiently extensive), by sending 
to every exhibition I care to support, two pens of birds—one 
trimmed, the other untrimmed ."—A Lady. 
ULVERSTON POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
This Exhibition took place on Wednesday and Thursday, the 
9th and 10th inst. We will give a report of the separate classes 
next week. The following were the awards .— 
Spanish (Black).—Cup, R. Teebay, Preston. Second, W. Sylvester, 
Market Hall, Sheffield. Highly Commended, Miss Hyde, Ashton-under- 
Lyne. Commended, C. T. Nelson, Birmingham. 
Dorkino (any colour).—First, Capt. W. W. Ilornhy, Knowsley, Frescot. 
Second, T. Ullock, Quarry House, Windermere. Highly Commended, 
J. Robinson, Vale House, Garstang. 
Game (Black-breasted and other Reds).—Cup, G. W. Moss, the Beach, 
Aigburth, Liverpool. Second, W. Newby, Lawrence House, Milnthorpe. 
Highly Commended, A. Sutherland, Burnley; F. Atkinson, Lord’s Plain, 
Milnthorpe. Commended, J. Hindson, Barton House, Everton, Liverpool. 
Game (Whites and Piles).—First, F. C. Ellison, Kendal. Second, F. At¬ 
kinson, Lord’s Plain, Milnthorpe. Commended, Bird and Beldon, Bradford. 
Game (any other variety).—First, W. Brocklebank, L’lverston. Second, 
A. Sutherland, Burnley. 'Commended, J. Bison, Bradford. 
Cochin-China (any colour).—Cup, IP. Harvey, Sheffield. Second, II. P. 
Watson, Preston. 
Hamburgh (Golden-pencilled).—First, Carter and Gaulter, Poulton-le- 
Fylde. Second, C. K. Titterton, Birmingham. Highly Commended, J. B. 
Chune, Coalbrookdale ; J. Dixon, Bradford. 
Hamburgh (Silver-pencilled).—Cup, T. Keable, Rowdefield Farm, De¬ 
vizes. Second, J. Dixon, Bradford. Highly Commended, J. Robinson, 
Vale House, Garstang. Commended, G. Griffiths, St. Swithin Street, 
Worcester. 
Hamburgh (Golden-spangled). — First, J. B. Chune, Coalbrookdale. 
Second, S. II. Hyde, Asliton-under-Lyne. Highly Commended, J. Dixon, 
Bradford; W. W. ltuttlidge, Storth End, Kendal. Commended, W. W. 
Ruttlidge. 
Hamburgh (Silver-spangled). — Cup, J. Dixon, Bradford. Second, 
J. Robinson, Vale House, Garstang. Highly Commended, R. Benson, 
Ulveiston; Bird and Beldon, Bradford; R. Teebay, Preston. Commended, 
A. Sutherland, Burnley; J. B. Chune, Coalbrookdale. 
Poland (any colour).—Cup, J. Dixon, Bradford. Second, G. Ray, Ivy 
Cottage, Minestead, Lyndhurst. Highly Commended, J. Dixon, Bradford; 
J. Robinson, Vale House, Garstang; Bird and Beldon, Bradford. Com¬ 
mended, A. Sutherland, Burnley. 
Any other Distinct or Cross Breed. —First, J. Robinson, Garstang 
(Black Ilamburgks). Second, It. Teebay, Preston (Brahmas). Highly Com¬ 
mended, J. Dixon, Bradford. 
Bantams (Goldand Silver-laced).—First, T. H. D. Bayley,Ickwell House, 
near Bigglewade. Second, .1 Dixon, Bradford. Commended, T. Robinson, 
L'lverstou; Mrs. A. G. Brooke, Vale View, St. Bees. 
Bantams (any other variety).—Cup, T. H. D. Bayley, Ickwell House 
near Biggleswade. Second, J. Dixon, Bradford. Highly Commended 
I. Thornton, Ileckmondwike, near Leeds; A. G. Brooke, Vale View 
