FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
217 

In Partridge cocks the first-prize bird was a grand fellow; 
but taking the Partridges as a whole, they did not appear as 
good as they were years ago. White Cochins were numer- 
ous, and good birds were to be found in all the classes. _ 
The Black Cochins were stilty, and poor in quality. We 
are glad to see that some spirited fanciers have taken them 
in hand; there is room in this pretty variety for improve- 
ment. 
Dark Brahmas mustered very strongly. The adult cocks, 
from ‘their variable condition (many being just recovering 
from moult) must have tried the judges, and we shall not be 
surprised if their pesitions are changed ina few weeks. The 
class contained many splendid birds. The Dark Brahma hens 
were a wonderful class ; perhaps never before was so grand a 
lot of hens exhibited at any show. The dark cockerels were 
numerous, and the class contained many splendid birds. 
The dark pullets mustered 104 entries, and were one of the 
best classes of Brahma pullets ever seen. The prize and 
commended birds were remarkably close in quality, taking 
all points, but the first and second prize pullets were by far 
the most beautiful in penciling. Light Brahmas were ex- 
cellent. The beautiful pullets shown by Mrs. Frank 
Cheshire, were the admiration of all. The cup cockerel 
exhibited by Mr. Haines, was also a most beautiful bird. 
The first-prize hen, belonging to Mr. Maynard, and also the 
second-prize hen, belonging to Mr. Crook, were wonderfully 
perfect. The race betwixt these two nens was the most close 
in the whole show. The Light Brahmas have certainly 
made the greatest advance in quality of any breed during 
the year. 
The Spanish classes were not as good as we have seen. 
French fowls were numerous in all the classes. Both Creve- 
ceurs and Houdans were good, especially the chickens of 
the latter. 
Hamburgs were all good classes. The Golden-Spangled 
hens were perhaps the most beautiful. The Golden-Pen- 
ciled hens were also excellent. 
Bantams were very numerous. The Game Bantams were 
many of them out of condition, but all the classes except 
the Wheatan were good. In large game the Black Reds 
appear to be losing ground in quality, many of the cocks 
being very muddy in color, and with brown muddy eyes, 
instead of the beautiful red eyes of the old kind. Black 
Reds are now very common, in both the cockerels and pul- 
lets. 
In Ducklings the best bird was the cup cock—he is a great 
beauty. Both Aylesbury and Rouen were good, the cup 
going to a splendid pair of Rouen. Fancy duck were a 
beautiful lot, and the East Indian also came out strong. 
It would be a hopeless task to attempt an enumeration of 
all the excellences displayed by the grand collection of 
pigeons which were collected together at the Crystal Palace 
during the past week. We will therefore direct the atten- 
tion of our readers to some of the most striking features of 
this truly great show. Commencing with Pouters, which 
head the list, it may be safely said, that a better lot of birds 
were never seen together in London; and it is quite proba- 
ble that this arose from the fact of the announcement by 
the committee of the names of two most eminent Pouter 
fanciers as judges, and quite bears out our idea of the advi- 
‘sability of publishing the names of the judges in all cases. 
Blue Pied cocks head the list, Mr Hill’s first prize bird 
being excellent in every respect, Messrs, Baker’s, Fulton’s, 
and Gresham’s, were also well worthy their positions. 

Black Pied cocks, Mr. Pratt won first and cup with a grand 
bird, though rather failing in color. In red or yellow Pieds 
Mr. Rose came to the fore with a bird which worthily sus- 
tained the reputation of this gentleman’s stud. White 
cocks were a grand lot, and must have given the judges 
much trouble. Mr. Gresham took first, and the class was 
described by the judges as ‘‘extra good.’? Cocks bred in 
1873 gave great promise of future excellence, and many of 
them, we believe, will be heard of again. The hen classes 
were filled, Messrs. Gresham, Stuart, and Fulton, dividing 
the honors in old birds; but-in young hens Mr Gresham 
swept the board with three magnificent specimens, and the 
judges described it as an extraordinary class. 
Carriers are always shown very numerously at the Crystal 
Palace, and the numbers and quality on the present eccasion 
we believe to be far in advance of any previous year. Mr. 
Siddons’ first prize old black, and Mr. Montgomery’s ‘‘cup”’ 
dun, were excellent specimens; the latter bird, which is well 
known to most carrier fanciers, being shown in superb con- 
dition. Mr. Fulton had some grand birds in both classes, 
but some of them we thought exhibited symptoms of being 
over-shown. Young blacks numbered no less than fifty-two 
birds, from the best lofts in the kingdom, and we were glad 
to see one or two new exhibitors taking good positions. Mr. 
Massey took first, closely pressed by Mr. Heritage’s bird, 
while no less than six birds were very highly commended. 
The cup for best young Carriers, however, went to the win- 
her in the next class, viz.: for duns, in which Mr. Fulton 
took first und second prizes. Judging from the number of 
birds exhibited, it would appear that Dragons are the fashion- 
able birds at the present time among London fanciers; the 
winning silvers shown by Messrs. F. Graham and Bishop 
were indeed good specimens, but the awards in the blues 
were not so satisfactory, the best birds being amongst thé 
highly commended; the superb and brilliantly colored yel- 
lows of Mr. S. C. Betty took all the prizes in the class with 
birds which we believe have never been equalled. Mr. 
Graham’s highly commended birds in this class were also 
deserving especial notice. 
The class for Almond Tumbler cocks was described by the 
judge as the ‘‘best collection he had ever seen;’’ and cer- 
tainly the form and carriage, perfection of ground color and 
markings in Mr. Hallam’s cup and second-prize birds were 
enough to excite the envy of any fancier. In the second 
for Tumbler cocks, any other variety, we thought Mr. H. 
Adams’ third prize red superior to the first prize. 
Barbs mustered better than we have seen them for a year 
or two past, and, owing to the fact that birds had to be in 
the Palace on Saturday, and that no exhibitor or attendant 
was allowed in the Palace until after the judging on Monday, 
the majority of the birds were sound and clear in eye and 
wattle, and did not present the offensive appearance we have 
been accustomed to see. Mr. Firth’s cup black cock, Mr. 
Fulton’s red cock, and. the first-prize hen of Mr. Mont- 
gomery left little to be desired. The class for young Barbs 
of 1878 was a good one, and had twenty-five entries, of all 
colors. Mr. P H. Jones took first and fourth with a black 
cock and good-colored red hen, Mr. J. Firth and Major 
Cryer taking second and third, while a large number of birds 
were highly commended, and we thought among these were 
some which should have taken a better position. We must 
also say we did not quite agree with the awards in class for 
red or yellow Jacobins; we thought that more than one of 
In | either Capt. Heaton’s or Mr. Fulton’s birds were superior ° 
