The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-12 00:00:00

POULTRY SHOW AT THE CRYSTAL
PALACE.

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The usual winter exhibition of poultry, pigeons,
and rabbits will be opened today at the Crystal
Palace, and will be continued until the end of the
week. There was a private view yesterday, when
the judges made their examination and awarded the
prizes. The show is a very large one, and will be
found remarkably attractive. It consists of 958 pens
of poultry and ornamental water-fowls, 366 pens of
pigeons, and 86 pens of rabbits. All the best breeds
of poultry are represented by first-class specimens,
which are not more remarkable for their extraordi-
nary size than for their high condition, beauty of
plumage, purity of race, and uniformity in the mark-
ings. The show of Dorkings, Hamburgs, and Cochin
Chinas is particularly fine, in point both of number
and of quality ; and, as it includes almost every
known variety, it cannot fail to attract a large share
of the attention of visitors. There are no fewer
than 190 pens of game fowl, black and brown
breasted reds, duckwings, blacks, and many other
varieties. The bantams, white and black, gold-
laced, silver-laced, and game, form another interest-
ing feature of the show, and will have thousands
of admirers. Nor will the display of geese, ducks,
and turkeys be overlooked, especially at the present
season. It is choice rather than numerous, though
the show of Aylesbury and Rouen ducks is fully
equal to that of former years, consisting, as it does,
of upwards of 50 pens. Visitors will recognise a
novelty in this department in the shape' of a Sebas-
topol goose, which is smaller and even more
ungainly, if that be possible, than the English
breed. Next in importance to the poultry are the
pigeons, of which the display is really magnificent,
superior to that of any previous occasion. Pouters,
carriers, dragons, fantails, Almond tumblers,
Jacobines, barbs, and trumpeters are represented
by admirable specimens in all their varieties.
The collection, in short, is complete, and leaves
nothing to be desired. So also with respect
to the rabbits. The show is more than an
average one in point of number, while the speci-
mens are remarkable for their great weight, the
purity of their colours, and last, but not least, the
length of their ears, There is a small, but very
beautiful, collection of pheasants. The gold and
silver variety is shown to great advantage, and,
what with elegance of form and brilliancy of plu-
mage, forms, perhaps, one of the most attractive
features of the exhibition. In addition to the poul-
try there is a show of agricultural roots, and the
interest of the exhibition is still further increased
by the presence of four Lilliputian African horses,
not more than 30 inches high, three sheep, weigh-
ing altogether about 501 b., and six of the smallest
cows ever seen in this country. But, after all, the
feathered wonders will excite the greatest amount
of admiration, and, though the noise they make is
terribly shrill and discordant, they well deserve
all the endearing epithets which will be bestowed
upon them in the course of the next three days.
Subjoined are a few of the principal prizes :—For
Dorkings the first prizes were awarded to the
Hon. W. W. Vernon, Captain Windham Hornby,
Lady Louisa Thynne, and Captain J. Beardmore ;
for Spanish, to Miss M. L. Ralle and Mr. W. Par-
rett ; for Cochin Chinas, to Mr. James Cattell, Mr.
P. H. Jones, Mr. Thomas Stretch, Miss Viola Mus-
grove, Mr. Robert Chace, Mr. W. Dawson, and
Mr. Edward Tudman ; for Hamburgs, to Mr. W.
Pierce, Mr. James Munn, Mr. W. H. Kerr, Mr.
W. Cannan, Mr. W. R. Lane, Mr. Joseph Bam-
forth, Mr. Richard Teebay, and Mr. S. H. Hyde;
for game fowl, to Mr. Jonathan Camm, Mr. G. W.
Moss, Mr. Maurice Marks, Mr. E. Archer, Mr.
Joseph Hindson, Mr. Philip Mason, Mr, W. W.
Dawson, and Mr. W. Ballard ; for bantams, to
Mr. T. W. Hill, Mr. Mathew Leno, Miss Louisa
Peters, Mr. James Billycal, Mr. W. S. Forest,
Mr. G. Daft, and Mr. T. H. Hutton Bayly ; for
geese, to the Marchioness of Winchester and Mr.
W. G. K. Breavington ; for ducks, to Mr. John
Weston, Mr.W.G.K. Breavington, the Marchioness
Winchester, and Mr. G. S. Sainsbury. The winners
of the first prizes for pheasants are Mr. John
Smith, Mr. S. Betty, and Mr. Mathew Leno ; for
pigeons, Master M•Gregor Ralle ' • for rabbits, Mr.
John Angus, Mr. H. W. Gostling, Mr. John Hincks,
Mr. C. P. Lashmar, Mr. William Nott, Mr. N.
Norman, Mr. C. Sellen, Mr. W. Robinson, and Mr.
J. Ashton. The principal prizes for agricultural
roots were given to the Duke of Portland, the
Marquis of Breadalbane, Mr. Benyon, M.P., Mr.
W. Lowndes, the Rev. Thomas Stevens, Colonel
North, M.P., and Mr. Samuel Druce. The prizes
in the poultry department comprised a sweepstakes
for game cocks. There were 54 entries. The
entrance fee was lOs each, and the money has been
divided as follows :—XIO 10s. awarded to cock in
pen 934, owner unknown ; £5 ss. to Mr. J. B.
Chune ; £4 4s. to Mr. W. H. Swann ; £3 3s. to
Captain W. Hornby, R.N. • £2 2s. to Mr.W. Cox;
£1 ls. to Mr. Joseph Hindson ; and 15s. to the
Hon. W. W. Vernon.