139 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 1 , 1858. 
have bred your birds till they are deformed by what you con¬ 
sider desirable. Give me a moderate comb, one that adds to 
i the beauty of the bird, and that he carries jauntily. It should 
not overhang anywhere ; and judges should be firm, and not 
try to please every one. And my hens—I wish I could show 
them now to amateurs—their round, full bodies, well-shaped 
and well-carried tails : oh ! how beautiful they used to look— 
their smart red combs, firmly set on their heads, their brilliant 
white ears, their spangled bodies, not here and there a feather, 
but every one accurately mooned : and their colour, not the 
sickly, dirty yellow we now see so often, but the rich, dark, 
lustrous chestnut, unvarying in-shade, and regularly mooned : 
and their legs blue, as if painted : and, mark me, no white 
spots or black patches ;—no long, raking frames, partially re¬ 
deemed by correct plumage; all was in harmony. I have 
shuddered at some I have seen. Oh ! one cock haunts me ; 
shaped something like a Malay—well marked, I grant you— 
half a tail, and such a comb, it overhung both nostrils and 
eyes. There, there, I have done for to-day.” 
BIRMINGHAM SUMMER POULTRY SHOW. 
This Exhibition has been organised by a few amateurs, 
with the intention of holding such meetings annually, and 
was not in any way connected with the December Exhibitions, 
as hitherto taking place in Bingley Hall. 
Their first effort has proved most satisfactory; the collection 
of fowls has shown an amount of competition which even the 
most sanguine of the projectors scarcely anticipated, more 
especially when it is remembered, that most amateurs object 
to exhibit poultry during the height of the breeding season. 
On this occasion, only 7 the upper tier of poultry pens were 
occupied, and, consequently, no complaint as to inequality of 
advantages among the rival poultry could possibly be urged, 
even by the unsuccessful. 
The regulation, as laid down on the prize-list first issued, 
was rigidly adhered to: “no Committee-man, feeder, Or, in¬ 
deed, any individual whatever,” under any pretence, had 
access to the Judges during their deliberations. The gentle¬ 
men appointed to officiate for Poultry were Messrs. Challoner, 
of Worksop, Notts ; and Mr. Edward Hewitt, of Spark Brook, 
! Birmingham ; the last-named again affording his gratuitous 
j services, as on former meetings of the original -Society. 
T. J. Cottle, Esq., of Cheltenham, awarded the premiums to 
! the Pigeons; and Mr. Ily. Child, of Birmingham, fulfilled 
j similar duties in the Rabbit classes. 
As regards the poultry 7 generally, not only were the specimens 
of first-rate quality, but, as a whole, the “ condition ” of the 
birds was far better than we expected. We now proceed to a 
few general remarks on the classes. 
The Spanish were excellent, and the competition universal; 
the merits, therefore, of the winning birds, was of far higher 
character than usual. The Dorkings also were exceedingly 
good: the first prize, “ coloured,” being worthy of especial 
mention, not only on account of their extraordinary size, but 
their peculiar freedom from coarseness, so difficult to attain 
in rosy-combed fowls of this variety. They w r cre the property 
of the Ilonble. AY. AY. A r ernon, of Wolseley Hall. The Silver 
Grey Dorkings were a new class to Birmingham schedules, 
the prizes being monopolized by Mr. AYm. Bromley, of Smith- 
field, Birmingham, with fowls of immense proportions. Some 
Dorking chickens, belonging to Miss Steele Perkins, of Sutton 
Coldfield, were by far the best we have yet seen so early in 
the season, and actually carried away a third premium from 
j the midst of their adult rivals. All varieties of Game fowls 
were particularly well represented, and, for the time of year, 
their condition was most praiseworthy. Most of the best 
i breeders in the kingdom competed, and, by reference to the 
annexed prize list it will be seen, never were premiums so 
widely disseminated. The Cochins were first-rate classes, and 
1 wc noticed how greatly improved all the pens exhibited were, 
to those we have been accustomed to meet with of late years. 
The Brahma Pootra class was also much better filled than 
heretofore. The Golden, and likewise the Silver Polands , 
were excellent; the highly reputed birds of James Green all, 
Esq., of Grappenhall Hall, taking the first premium in either 
variety. The Black Polands were, on the contrary, scarcely 
an average, but the next class in order (Malays) was un¬ 
rivalled. In llarnbiirghs, the Golden varieties were far 
superior to the Silver, the former classes containing specimens 
leaving little to be desired, and attracting much attention from 
the visitors assembled. The class for any other Variety of 
Fowls was very indifferent, consequently two of the prizes were 
withheld altogether. The Game Bantams , whether in pens 
of three, or as single cocks, exhibited the marked improvement 
ever consequent on careful breeding, and were generally 
admired ; almost every variety of Game-colour being well re¬ 
presented. The Black Bantams were excellent, but the 
Sebrights far inferior to those of prior years. 
The Geese and Turkeys , though limited as to numbers, 
were highly commendable birds; but in the Turkeys (very 
unfortunately for their owners) some accidental delay on the 
rails prevented the best pens reaching Bingley Hall until 
after the prizes were awarded, which obviously bereft them, of 
the distinctions otherwise their due. 
The Pigeons were the best collection yet got together at 
Birmingham. The Babbits , too, were not without great 
merit, and had a fair share of public attention. 
The Hall contained a profusion of flags and banners, open 
for hire at the approaching visit of royalty to Birmingham. 
It is simple justice to record, that every possible care was 
taken of the valuable collection committee! to the care of the 
managers of the Show; and, we believe, not one single death 
occurred up to the time of our writing these particulars. The 
unvarying courtesy and respect shown to all parties by the 
Committee is also well worthy of commendation. 
AYe cannot conclude without suggesting that a longer notice 
to amateurs of the approach of this Sho w would have tended 
materially to the increase of entries. 
Spanish. —First, Third, and Fourth, .T. Busst, jun., Walsall. Second, 
S. H. Hyde, Moss Cottage, Ashton-under-Lyne. Highly Commended, 
W. M. Lilly, Monyhill Hall, King’s Norton ; Lydia C. Stow, Bredou, 
near Tewkesbury; J. K. Bartrum, Bath. Commended, Hon. W. W. 
Vernon, Wolseley Hall, Rugeley; G. Hopwood ; J. Busst, jun., Wal¬ 
sall. (An excellent class.) 
Dorking (Coloured).—First, Hon. W. W. Vernon, Wolseley Hall, 
Rugeley. Second, W. M. Lilly, Monyhill Hall, King’s Norton. Third, 
Miss S. Perkins, the Cottage, near Sutton Coldiield. I'ourth, C. II. 
Wakefield, Malvern Wells. Commended, M. Amphlett, Church Lench 
Rectory, Evesham; Mrs. Hanhury, Leamington Hastings, Rugby. 
Dorking (Silver).— First and Second, W. Bromley, Smithfield, Bir¬ 
mingham. Highly Commended, II. W. B. Berwick, Helmsley, York¬ 
shire ; II. Child, jun., Sherbourne Road, Birmingham. (Superior 
class.) 
Dorking (White). — First, J. Robinson, Vale House, Garstang. 
Second, J. .Tennens, Friary, Handsworth. (Superior class.) 
Game (Black-hreastecI and other Reds).—First, Hon. W. W. Vernon, 
Wolseley Hall, Rugeley. Second, W. Ballard, Woodcote Lodge, Lea¬ 
mington. Third, A. Sutherland, Burnley, Lancashire. Fourth, G. W. 
Moss, the Beach, Aigburth, near Liverpool. Highly Commended, 
J. T. Edge, StrellyHally, near Nottingham; Miss E. S. Killingly, 51, 
Horringlow Street, Burton. Commended, W. and J. H. Parlces, Wel¬ 
lington Place, Highgate, Birmingham. (An unusually good class.) 
Game (White and Piles).—First and Fourth, F. Sabin, Bull Street, 
Birmingham. Second, T. H. D. Bailey, Ickwell House, Biggleswade, 
Bedfordshire, Third, S. Matthews, Chelton Ilali, Stowmarket, Olins- 
kirk. 
Game (Duckwings, and other Greys and Blues).—First, J. Brown, 
Pole Street, Preston. Second, A. Sutherland, Burnley, Lancashire. 
Third, W. Dawson, Selly Oak, near Birmingham. Fourth, T. Wilkes, 
Packwood Haugh, Hockley Heath. Highly Commended, G. W. Moss, 
the Beach, Aigburth, near Liverpool. 
Game (Any other variety) .—First, Bullock and Rapson, Leamington. 
Second, Rev. T. E. Abrahams, Bickerstaffe, Ormskirk. Third, W. 
Dawson, Selly Oak, near Birmingham. Fourth, W. Ballard; Woodcote 
Lodge, Leamington. 
Game Cocks. —First, A. Sutherland, Burnley, Lancashire. Second, 
Lord Berwick, Cronkhill, near Shrewsbury. Third, G. W. Moss, the 
Beach, Aigburth, near Liverpool. Fourth, R. Swift, Southwell, Not¬ 
tinghamshire. Highly Commended, E. Archer, Malvern; S. Rodway, 
“Woodman” Inn, Pershore Road; J. B. Dixon, 48, Newtown Row, 
Birmingham; I. Avery, King’s Norton. Commended, T. Whitaker, 
Melton Mowbray. 
Cochin-China (Cinnamon and Buff).—First, J. Cattell, Moseley 
Wake Green, near Birmingham. Second, T. Stretch, Marsh Lane, 
Bootle, Liverpool. Third, Viola W. Musgrove, Liverpool. Fourth, li. 
Chase, Moseley Road, Birmingham. Highly Commended, T. Stretch, 
Marsh Lane, Bootle, Liverpool; J. Cattell, Moseley Wake Green, near 
Birmingham; J. K. Bartrum, Bath, Somerset. (A very superior class.) 
Cochin-China (Partridge).—First, G. C. Adkins, West House, Edg- 
baston. Second, P. Cartwright, Oswestry. Third, J. Cattell, Moseley 
Wake Green, near Birmingham. Fourth, J. Busst, jun., Walsall. 
Highly Commended, Viola W. Musgrove, Liverpool; W. M. Lilly, 
Monyhill Hall, near King’s Norton ; J. Cattell, Moseley Wake Green, 
near Birmingham. Commended, P. Cartwright, Oswestry; C. Felton, 
Erdington. 
Cochin-China (White or Black). — First and Second, It. Chase, 
