FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
499 
Mr. Sweet then proposed that the word “Instructions” 
on page 3, of Standard, be changed to “Suggestions,” and 
that the word “ instructs ” be changed to “ advises ” or “sug- 
gests,” wherever it occurs: also that the whole of the first 
paragraph, and also the last (on page 4) be expunged, and 
that the paragraph next the last be amended to read, “ Also, 
that we recommend that no variety of a class of fowls be 
placed in our list of premiums, when such class, &e.” And 
that these two pages of “ Suggestions ” be placed in the back 
part of the book. 
Considerable discussion followed upon this, and finally an 
informal vote was taken upon it by the fanciers present, 
when it was carried by a nearly unanimous vote. 
Mr. Burnham then took the floor, and urged the members 
of the Executive Committee now present not to delay pro- 
ceeding to business any longer ; that, by the continued ab- 
sence of a few of their associates, without any known cause, 
when they knew of the great importance and necessity of a 
full meeting, they were fully justified in proceeding, and in 
transacting such business as should be brought before them, 
just as if a full quorum were present. The business that had 
brought so many fanciers together was one of great impor- 
tance to the whole poultry fraternity, and these absentees had 
no right to object to any action their associates might now 
take. On the contrary, they were bound to indorse such 
action, for it was simply by their neglect to be present that 
this course of action was made necessary. 
Mr. Sweet briefly responded to this, saying that several 
of the absent members had been telegraphed to, and he hoped 
they would report themselves by the next morning ; that he 
thought it advisable to wait until that time, when, if still 
without a quorum, the members then present would take 
some action on the matter. What that action would be he 
could not say, as a conference would be first necessary with 
his associates. 
A motion to adjourn was then made, and carried. 
[We are indebted to Mr. Halsted for the above minutes of 
the first day’s meeting, which came to hand too late to pre- 
cede the official report of the Secretary, which appeared in 
our last week’s issue.— Ed.] 
OYSTERS GROWING ON TREES. 
Mr. C. H. Wii.liams, a Fellow of the Geographical So- 
ciety of England, tells us how oysters inhabit the Man- 
grove woods in Cuba. “ For several years,” he says, “ I 
resided in that island, and travelled there more than the 
ordinary run of foreigners, and have several times come 
across scenes and objects which many people would consider 
great curiosities — one in particular. No doubt the reader will 
open his eyes at oysters growing on trees. Often have I 
seen the sneer of unbelief on the face of the ignorant when 
the fact has been mentioned ; but grow they do, and in im- 
mense quantities, especially in the southern part of the 
island. I have seen miles of trees, the lower stems and 
branches of which were literally covered with them, and 
many a good meal have 1 enjoyed with very little trouble of 
procuring, and not quite so expensive as they are in London 
at the present time. I simply placed the branches over the 
fire, and when opened I picked them out with a fork or a 
pointed stick. These peculiar shell- fish are indigenous in 
lagoons and swamps on the coast, and as far as the tide will 
rise and the spray fly, so will they cling to the lower parts of 
the Mangrove trees, sometimes four or five deep, the Man- 
grove being one of the very few trees that flourish in salt 
water.” 
PodLjF^Y DEf>i\Fg[viEply. 
BEAUTY AND UTILITY. 
There seems to be a lively discussion going on between 
Mr. Lewis Wright of England and our friend Felch of 
Natic, in which the former has much the better of the argu- 
ment. The latter has been a breeder of Light Brahmas for 
many years, and has produced some very fine birds of this class; 
but he has some crotchets peculiar to himself about breeding 
and about the standard and scale of points that in my opinion 
are not sound, or in accordance with the laws of aesthetics. 
It is my opinion that in his fancy points he is a little too 
nice ; and upon his theory we should be obliged to sacrifice 
about two-thirds of the fowls we breed. As much as I ad- 
mire beauty, I do not believe in yielding any more to it 
than to utility, if as much. It is rather an expensive luxury 
to rear fowls solely for their beauty. The gastronomic 
qualities of poultry are an essential requisite in the laws of 
economy. The more flesh you can put on a fowl with the 
least offal, the better ; and the more eggs you can get out of 
a hen, the cheaper her keep. When you speak of the beauty 
of a Cochin or Brahma fowl, I consider scantily-feathered 
legs intolerable ; whereas, in game and other variety of 
birds, the cleaner and smoother the legs the more beautiful. 
There are some breeders, and judges too, whom I have 
met with at our fairs, that seemed to me to have a very 
vague idea of a real vulture-hock, and were unable to dis- 
criminate between a full, curled, soft hock and one that is 
really vulture in character. A vulture-hock is as opposite 
to good taste as a cleaned-legged Cochin or Brahma. I speak 
with some feeling on this point, as I have been sacrificed by 
such a vicious taste in judges; but still it never deterred me 
from breeding heavy-hocked birds. And there is still another 
peculiarity in the Brahma and Cochin, to which our breeders 
will be obliged to succumb, and that is leggy fowls of this 
variety. Short, heavy legs, with broad backs, and full, 
broad chests and proportionate necks, combine utility with 
beauty. Here again I have had to suffer at our exhibitions 
in consequence of a mistaken notion of judges, whose ideas 
of taste were long legs, crane-like necks, and slab-like breasts. 
I once heard a discussion of two judges on the relative merits 
of two Partridge Cochin cocks, and they gave the long- 
legged cock the preference as to size, when the other or short- 
legged cock outweighed him nearly five pounds. Ideas of 
good taste have changed somewhat since then ; bare legs, 
long necks and bosoms are not considered beautiful in this 
variety of the feather tribe. Bosoms are not now the ideal of 
beauty in the feather tribe. I have not yet seen the stand- 
ard and scale of points adopted by the Great American 
Poultry Association, but I will give you my standard and 
