366 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY'GENTLEMAN, September 11, I860. 
chickens) in the fourth- prize pen, belonging to Mr. William 
Bromley, of Birmingham, who also took the first prize, were far 
superior to anything competing throughout the whole class. The 
cockerel, however (I should say from over-feeding), quite jus¬ 
tified the award of the Judges, Messrs. Baily and Hewitt, as his 
legs seemed failing under the extraordinary weight, and unna¬ 
turally induced size they were called upon to support from 
“ early maturity.” It is impossible to expect, with any real hope, 
of ever witnessing it, a better collection of Buff Cochin chickens 
than was exhibited at the Crystal Palace. The great difficulty of 
the Judges must have been to select, when so many were quite 
worthy of first prizes. I never yet saw Came fowls so well and 
so impartially judged, no predilection being evinced by the 
arbitrators for any individual whim as to colour of legs, &c. 
There cannot be a second opinion, that among some of our 
juvenile judges of late the contrary has been the ruling passion ; 
and individual fancy for feather or strain has evoked decisions j 
quite adverse to what ought to be the sine qua non in Game 
fowls—viz , capability to “ hold their own,” if subjected to the 
now-somewhat-retiring (but by no means extinct) usages of the 
cock-pit. It is well known to breeders of these varieties, that the 
JTamburghs (particularly the “Pencilled”) never show to so [ 
singular advantage as when well-matured chickens. Here was 
a Show that those who missed seeing will be long before they 
have a repetition of so worthy an opportunity of witnessing. 
These classes proved generally interesting, therefore, to most 
of the visitors. It might, too, be asked with justice—When 
before has there been so goodly a competition in Malays ? I 
unreservedly say, “ Never.” Among the diverse attractions of 
the any variety class, the Cuckoo Cochins were marvellously good 
chickens, forming, however, a very easy connecting link with 
their near relatives, the Brahmas , that certainly were shown in 
numbers and character equally worthy of all praise. In Oeese 
it was scarcely to be expected otherwise than that Mr. Fowler, 
of Aylesbury, exhibited goslings quite worthy of the pen that for 
many years past were notorious as being “ the lest of any.” His 
Aylesbury Ducks , also, showed no deterioration whatever. 
Tlie Pigeons, to those who are more versed in this fancy than 
mysplf, appeared to be generally approved, and most attractive. 
The Rabbits were undoubtedly the best collection ever yet got 
together on England’s soil. Among them the Chinchilla or Silver 1 
Grey Rabbits were the most admired, and, perhaps, were never 
before so well shown. The “Hare Rabbits” were presented 
under a most questionable cognomen. It would be well had 
they never put in an appearance under so attractive an ap¬ 
pellation. Those who, like myself, have for years attempted the 
“crossing” of these two perfectly distinct species of animals, 
well knowing that, when compulsorily coupled in confinement, 
apparent indifference at the onset invariably concluded by the 
most uncompromising disgust, and the utter destruction of one 
combatant or other, although previously reared from infancy 
sociably together. Besides, an insuperable difficulty arises from, 
the fact known to those who have reared, both Hares and Rabbits 
likewise in confinement and docility, as to the different period 
of gestation. 
I think I may speak most confidently, that none of the Crystal 
Palace previous Shows ever exceeded the one just concluded, and 
it was most satisfactory to note likewise the perfect health of the 
generality of the competing specimens. 
LIGURIAN BEES. 
I hate had three queens of Apis Ligustica from M. Hermann. 
The first my friends before she was added to the hive pronounced 
would fail, even doubting from her size if she were a queen. The 
other two I examined I found lively. They were added to the 
hives deprived of their queens on the 22nd of July ; and on the 
20th of August— i.e., twenty-nine days after she assumed her 
regal position, the young Liguriaiss of one hive made their ap¬ 
pearance in numbers. The other hive did not show its new and 
pretty subjects till nine days later. The cause of the earlier ' 
appearance in one becomes a subject of some interest, as I 
attribute it to circumstances over which the bee-master has com¬ 
plete control; and although this hive is a larger one, and with 1 
proportionately more bees in it, yet I feel satisfied that its earlier 
and besides greater number of Ligurian bees being produced, is 
chiefly ascribable to their hive being kept in a bee-house, and 
well covered up with cloths, &c. 
I fed both hives well, for during the very cold and wet weather 
warmth and food were necessary to insure success. I have seen 
no Ligurian drones out; but from the less successful and more 
exposed hive, I have noticed a few young drones, which I believe 
were Ligurian, had been pulled out of their cells in an immature * 
state, and turned out. 
It is said there exists a strong antipathy between the common 
black bee and these smarter and more handsome fellow-labourers. 
With the queen which was added to the exposed hive there w’ere , 
a dozen Ligurian workers, of which, upon one occasion, when 
I removed the feeder, two were in it. It became interesting to 
watch these rejoin the hive by the regular entrance, when I 
noticed that whilst on the alighting-board whenever a black bee ! 
came to the Ligurian it did not seem fully at ease, and commenced 
fanning with its wings. This it did many times before it went 
in, leaving an impression that it was not altogether at home, just 
as may be observed soon after fresh bees have been added to a 
hive, these for some time may be noticed acting in the same 
manner. The young Ligurians in the other and more successful 
hive did not appear to enter upon the working duties of gathering 
a winter’s store until about eight days after their coming out; and 
although now they seem numerous, I have remarked, that, whilst 
many of the other bees are active in carrying in pollen, no 
Ligurians have yet been seen to do so, raising the question 
whether the duties of supplying bee-bread do not devolve upon 
the older inhabitants. 
I may mention that the more successful hive is an eighteen- 
inch square straw one, with wooden bars; and some portion 
of the better result and more numerous appearance of Ligurians 
is justly claimable to there being ample vacant cells for the 
queen to deposit the eggs in. The other hive is a large one of the 
old form.—J. W. Wooler, Darlington. 
SECOND SWARMS. 
Authorities on the bee inform us, that second swarms may 
be expected from the eighth up till the twelfth day after the first, 
and that a queen bee is fully developed the sixteenth day from 
the egg. How am I to reconcile these statements with the 
following occurrence in my own apiary this season ? I had a 
stock-hive which threw a top * on the 8th July. It was strictly 
watched; and on the morning of the 24th, contrary to my ex¬ 
pectation, commenced the usual double piping. Resumed that 
evening, the morning and evening of next day, and the morning 
of the following, the 26th July, on which forenoon, the eighteenth 
day, the second came off. Unsettled at first, it finally took up its 
quarters on the top of an old yew, sixty or seventy feet, from the 
ground. It was hived therefrom all right, and subsequently 
settled. Now, what could have been the cause of the delay, the 
eight days preceding the exodus being all fine, and seemingly 
very suitable P Supposing the last act of the retiring monarch 
had been the depositing an egg in a royal cell, have we eighteen 
days to mature the young princess, now the reigning monarch of 
the hive? Your opinion would oblige—A Young-Bee-keeper. 
[When a queen leads off a first swarm she usually leaves behind 
her numerous royal embryos of all ages. The late ungenial. 
weather has been so unfavourable to the maturation of royal 
bi’ood, as to render it more than probable that all the more 
advanced princesses perished in the last (generally also the most 
fatal) stage of development. This alone may account for sixteen 
days’ delay ; and when, in addition to this, it is remembered that 
queen bees, like all others, quit their cells in so immature a state 
as to be unable to fly for some days (about five, we believe), it 
will readily be perceived that the intervention of eighteen days 
between a first and second swarm, although somewhat unusual, 
is only in character with the recent abnormal season.] 
* Query first swarm ?—Eds. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Feeding Doves (J. B.).— Buckwheat, with an occasional change of 
Canary-seed and wheat., is the test food for Doves. Gritty sand, anddean 
water for drinking and bathing, are requisite, also a little green food. The 
young are fed by their parents.—B. P. B. 
Exhibiting Game Bantam Cocks (J. B., Carlisle ).—It is far better that 
Game Cocks of all breeds (whether Bantam or otherwise), should be dubbed 
before they are exhibited. At all winter shows it is essential. A Game 
Bantam should be close and hard-feathered, and should carry his wings 
well up, not drooping like any other class of the same breed. Neither 
should the tail be thrown up over the hack like a squirrel, but should be 
rather sloped than otherwise. Both cock and hen should haTe snake-like 
heads; the hen’s bright, single, upright, well serrated combs, and the 
plumage of both be hard, as if composed of one feather only. 
