FANCIERS’ 
JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
721 

and cocks quite equal. In Whites, the cup cock was a small 
bird, but the most correct and compact in shape, with a nice 
hen. Mr. Cresswell’s third prize cock was larger, but yel- 
lower, and not such a good figure, being not out in feather, 
but Hed very good. Second was avery fair pen, and all the 
combs better than we used to see. We liked much the cock 
in highly commended pen 206, but he was in pen-feather. 
The Dorkings, £5 5s. class, were not so good as we expected, 
but the first prize had a nice gray hen. 
COCHINS. 
The cup Buff cock was very deep in color, verging on 
cinnamon, fine massive shape, and, though there were some 
signs of white comb which need a little care, it was a clear 
win by a grand bird. Second, massive and sound in color, | 
but too much black in tail, though left in honestly. Third, 
not quite even color in wing, and whitish in tail, but shape 
good. 224 commended, good color, but small and bad 
wings. The first prize hen was very fine in all Cochin 
points, but a shade mealy. Second, ditto. 
in shape, size, and feather, but still more mealy, and looked 
to us, both in legs and comb, a pullet. We may be thought 
too particular in color, but we have seen hens the same even 
tint all over. In cockerels our remarks at Oxford were 
fully borne out, the judging there being reversed, and the 
winner put here third; he is a good fair bird, but too deep 
in wing. The winner was Lady Gwydyr’s second prize 
Oxford, whose chief fault is the faint trace of white on wing- 
bar, we there noticed, but in shape and style no bird touched 
him. Second, fine color and feather, but not so massively 
made, and too much streamer in his tail. Fourth, having the 
same fault, with a trace of white in his secondary quills. 
The highly commended birds were nearly all very good, the 
prevailing faults being too much tail, and a rather clumsy 
make. In pullets also our Oxford notes were confirmed by 
the second being here put first, which she well deserved ; 
but we were sorry to see with age and her second show her | 
comb is going a little loose. Her grand points are cushion, 
‘‘eut out,’ and color. Second, a larger bird, but a little 
rough. Third, nice in comb, and large, but mealy, and too 
black in tail. Fourth, good in fluff, but rather needing 
cushion, neat, and a little necklace honestly left in. Of the 
highly commended birds we note 288 (Harrison), fine, but 
wanting evenness in color; 300 (Ryland), needing age; 314 
(Lady Gwydyr), would be grand but for one displaced 
wing; 822, a very fine bird, but for mealiness of color, and 
a little coarseness about the head. The other mentions had, 
however, more or less real merit. 
In Partridge cocks, the winner was very square, massive, 
and fine color, grandly feathered, but we do not like the 
look of his hocks. Second, streaky in hackle, and hardly 
up enough behind. Third, a weighty-hocked bird, not 
quite moulted, and therefore clumsy ; 
In hens, first and second were Mr. Tudman’s. 
nearly so good in marking, and had not got her tail. The 
first-prize cockerel was almost squirrel-tailed, and scarcely 
in feather, but a good-bodied bird. Second, Mr. Tudman’s, 
Third, small, but very neat, sound in color, and if he grows 
will be a very nice one. Pen 847 (Taylor) was a pretty 
bird, we think should have been mentioned. In the pullet 
class, the very first bird (Taylor) was disqualified for being 
over the entered age. The winning pullet, Mr. Tudman’s. 
(To be continued.) 
Third, fine also | 
this was a poor class. | 
Third, not | 
| 

Items. 
In order to make our “‘Item’’ column as interesting as possible, we 
would be obliged to our readers for contributions of original matter, how- 
ever short—yes, let it be condensed and to the point, in a variety of 
style—facts and fancies interesting to fanciers. 
Tue original origin of the Brahmas, like ‘' Topsy,” is a 
dark affair; the more we read about it, the more we—don’t 
know. 
Wait awhile—eggs are to be sold by weight before long. 
Then great will be the strains for large eggs. The balance 
of the egg account will be heavier than usual. 
g@ The opening of the Zoological Garden of this city 
was mentioned by Dr. J. L. LaConte before the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science, as one of four 
events of importance to science which occured last year. 
Professor La Conte regards our Zoological Garden “the 
first of any extent undertaken in this country ”’—as an im- 
portant institution for encouraging the study of the natural 
sciences and awakening an interest therein. 
A GENTLEMAN of Chatham, N. J., while snipe-shooting 
on those excellent meadows there, last September, shot a 
snipe, or knocked it down at least. After all was ready he 
told the dog to ‘‘Go, find dead bird,” which the dog did in 
excellent style, and retrieved it without hurting it in the 
least. In taking it from the dog’s mouth it was seen to be 
uninjured, except a slight scratch on the head, which had 
| evidently only stunned it, for soon it was lively enough to 
have flown away again if it could only have got at liberty. 
He took the bird, put grass all around it, and taking his 
napkin off his lunch, wrapped the bird up in it very care- 
fully, so that it could not get hurt in his pocket. He con- 
tinued hunting, but only getting three brace, he returned 
home, rejoicing over the capture of a live English snipe. 
Arriving at home, he took the snipe out of his pocket and 
put it on the floor; it immediately commenced hopping 
around, and feeling everything with its long bill, and, seem- 
ingly, took great pleasure in standing in front of the fire on 
one leg, with its bill urfder its wing. It never showed any 
signs of fear, and may well be called a tame bird. It would 
allow the dogs to point it, and took great delight in being 
petted. Holding a worm in your fingers, so that the bird 
could see it, he would come running up to get it and then 
hopping away to a pan filled with water, would there wash 
the worm and then swallow it. After taking a little drink 
he was all ready for another. He washed himself every 
morning, but wanted fresh, clean water every time, as he 
would never wash in the same twice. His chief amusement 
was boring, which he did in a large milk-pan filled with 
mud, grass, and worms. He would eat more than twice its 
own weight of worms each day; I myself and his owner 
watched it for three hours, and in that time it consumed 
seventy-one worms. We afterwards got seventy worms and 
found them to weigh five ounces, and the snipe weighed 
three ounces. 
It was a very lively and wakeful bird, although it would 
go to sleep in your hand. But with all the eating the bird 
did, it kept continually getting thin, and after nearly two 
months’ captivity it died. It must have died of starvation, 
for it was so thin you could see through it. It must eat 
something else besides worms. It was the handsomest bird 
ever put in a cage. 
* 
