The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-11 00:00:00

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at See ling :m since B x-t'releee eh 'oeiekti:-;itrt •.4 7.,,,'.'
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a grand winter exhibition of ponitil
aincl pigeons. This exhibition, which will etsntinue--
Open for the first three daes of the week, is perhaps
tie largest and best that his ever been held in Eng.
llind.. It exceed.; the show of last 57e-afe remarkable
es that wars both for the number and quality of-the
herds it contained, by no fewer than 242'pens 'the
tail number of entries up to Saturday being:l,46l3,
whilst the list of exhibitors includes theerameli of
41 the principal fanciers and breeders or piniltry
i4a the kingdom. This magnificent dollection nem-- • -
pies the greater portion of the south wing of the :.
Palace, and is classified in a manuer admirably efs I
ciliated to facilitate the inspection of the birds by A '
huge body of spectators. The pens are arranged
along either side of a series of wide avenues, through
which a constant stream of visitors can freely cire
ciliate, the spectator being enabl, d. t o linger at par-
ticular spots to examine those of the encooped can-
didates for his notice whose fine condition, sym-
metrical proportions, or beauty of plumage make
them excel even where all are so worthy of attsn-.
tion. On his arrival at the Palace terminus the .
casual visitor is not lett long to guess at the nature
of the scene which awaits him. " Cock-a docdle-
doo 1" in every note of the poultry geintit; afid its .
all itspossible combinations, assails histympanuni as -
le passes the pay-table ; and the perfect chorus front
the throats of a-thousand lusty chanticleers which
greets his further advance may indeed be delectable
music to' the enthusiastic fancier of Brahniepoo-
tras, Cochin-Chinas, and Andalusians, but to
the uninitiated is—to speak mildly—certainly not
the most attractive feature of so admirable an ex-
hibition. The birds are nothing disconcerted at
the novelty of their situation as the observed of all -
observers. On the contrary, they seem, proud of
the distinction, and invariably repay the notice
taken of them by a crow unusually shrill and ear-
piercing.
The poultry is divided into 60 classes, of. which
the bird: of Spanish breed form 3, the Dorldngs 5,
the Cochin-Chinas 7, Brahmapootras 3, Hamburgs
10, &e. The specimens exhibited in the various
groups afford evidence of a decided improvement,
as compared with last year, in the breeding and
rearing. Three seta of prizes, and in some instances
four, are awarded by the judges for each variety ; -
the first set I eing offered for the best pen, coneiet- -1
ine of a cock and two hens, above one year old ;
the second, for chickens of the present year e and
the third, for the best cock of any age.
The. precedence in the collection is given to Spa-
nish fowl, which certainly deserve their pre-emi-
nonce ; the specimens in all the three classes being
exceedingly good, and far more numerous than in
the previous year. A cock and two hens, contri-
buted by Mr. Botham, of Slough, carried off the
first prize, the second being awarded to Mr. Busst,
sun., of Walsall. The first prize Spanish cock
(third class), was immediately bought for 101. The
Dorkings are ids-) well represented, and exemplify
great progress iu breeding. A fine single Dorking
dock, the winner of the first prize, and the pro-
Perty of Mr. Lingwood, of Needham Market, was
purchased by Sir Joseph Paxton for 10 guineas.
The white Dorkings exhibited were excellent in
quality, but not so numerous as the coloured. On
the whole this old England breed admirably main-
tains its ground against its foreign rivals, and
makes to the full as good a figure in the collec- '
tion as the Cochin-Chinas, Brahmapootras, and
other exotic species which lately threatened to
throw our indigenous poultry irretrievably into the
shade. Indeed, one prominent feature of the pre-
'tent exhibition is the large proportion of table
fowl it comprises, the pens of Dorking outnumber-
ing those bf any other species.
! At the same time the Cochin-Chinas make no
mean show. The cinnamon and buff specimens
of this class displayed great excellence, the best
birds being a pen sent by Mr. Fookes, of Bland-
ford, which gained the first prize given for a fowl
over one year old. For chickens of 1857 the palm
f excellence was awarded to the Rev. George Gil-
pert, of Norwich, whose birds (a cock and two
pullets) were sold for 10 guineas. The brown and
partridge-feathered Cochins over one year old,
though not numerous, were also very superior, the
younger birds of the same category being wonder-
fully developed for their age. The white Cochins
are likewise worthy of special notice. The next
division, the Brahmapootras, mustered in unusual
force, and comprised some exceedingly heavybirds.
A very handsome and well-formed.pen of this class
over one year old, belonging to Mr. G. Botham, of
Slough, carried (sir the first prize.
Game-fowl, too, in all their varieties furnish to
the feathered array a strong contingent of remark-
able beauty. Indeed, the judges, Messrs. Andrews,
ißaily, and Hewitt, pronounce the " duckwings"
'the very best that have ever yet been exhibited.
'The game cocks are very numerous and very belli-
cose looking, and although cock-fighting is now an
!obsolete and forbidden sport, yet in casting his eye
;round the narrow coops of these little feathered
:gladiators the thoughtful spectator cannot help spe-
culating on the enaangnined scenes which wsauld •
longue were they once let loose upon eachother and
'their pugnacious propensities aroused. Prizes in
this 'class were awarded to Mr. J. Martin anti
Mr. Je• Mousey. The Hamburgs, in all their
numerous varieties of gold and silver pen-
cillings, and gold and -silver spangles, occupy
an important place iu the collections, their
gracefulness of form and the delicate markings
of their plumage attracting crowds of admirers. The
prc-eininence in this department belongs to the
specimens contributed by Messrs. Hawksley,
Clayton, Archer, the Rev. T. Fellows, and others.
Next in order comes the Polish fowl in its several
varieties of "black, with white crests," of "gold
coloured," and " silver." The magnificent tufts
which adorn the full-grown cock birds of this class
render them-stfsking objects in such an exhibition.
The specimena furnished by Mr. G. Greenall, jun.,
and Mrs. Pettat are particularly distinguished.
The Matte's wece tolerably numerous, the chickens
preponderating over the mat urer birds, while of the
old Normandy fowl, the Creve-Cceurs, but four
pens Were exhibited. An equal number of " silky '
negroes," a singular variety, claimed attention for
the dusky hue of their skin and bones, strongly
contrasting ' with the snowy whiteness of their
glossy plumage. AnOng the scarcer specimens in
the other divisions are a few black Hamburgs,
white Polish, Sultans, and Andalusians—the latter
a large well-formed species, with slate-coloured
plumage. Some Calcutta jungle fowl and a few
Indian and Shanghai game birds are more interest-
ing for their rarity than their beauty. Bantams of
all descriptions are abundant, the collection being
enriched with some of the finest birds of this class
ever seen. The geese are deficient in numbers, but
excellent in quality, and of great weight; while the
ducks are remarkable for fineness of plumage and
hugeness of bulk. Some of these web-footed gentry
are perfect monsters in obesity, whose awkward at-
tempts at locomotion on common or green sward
would be pitiable to behold. The turkeys are also
large, and reflect credit on their good feeding.
The collection of pigeons is exceedingly good,
and twice as large as that of last year. Here
croppers, carriers, dragons, tumblers, trumpeters,
short-faced mottles, short-faced baldheads, short-
faced beards, barbs, turbits, &c., are displayed in
all their bewildering and endless variety,
o tthv:
whole forming, according to
.the. auty. i
anyofevtl;re jbuedfogrees,waitfi
nneessreedx.hibition o pigeons
odithcaleirshoowwns
thandictum
icsoucer;on., anti thPrA can be little doubt, from the
rmi
vaai t
en objects
persons
improvep er i
completeness and general excellence of nth year's
• " tOoneenoafblteh ep
exhibition, that that laudable end will be materially
promoted.
The attendance was very good for an opening
day, and the sales effected amounted to upwards
of 2001.

REFUSAL TO LICENSE A THEATRE.—At a meeting
thpepdlsiicasatttruiiordnctaliei,t countA. w
yimagasoistrnates,held ata .Greenwich
on
was made
T by Mr. C
T. a
' ' Brttarwt .;olcbicitormafne; theia
granting of a license for dramatic performances at the
Deptford Theatre. The license bad been refused to be
renewed to the late manager at the last annual licensing
day, on which occasion a report was presented to the
magistrates by the police authorities, showing that the
theatre was principally frequented by the youth of both
sexes from 12 to 16 years of age, between whom and the
actors en the stage remarks freely passed, and that some
risk of fire in the building was occasioned by the
audience indiscriminately smoking. It was now con-
tended that whatever the past management might have
been, a recurrence would be avoided by the presen
lessee, a Mr. Edmunds, who was determined, if possible
to render it a fit and acceptable place of entertainmen
for the public. This it was urged was all that the magi*.
trates could legitimately ask for, and that if the sureties
offered were unexceptionable, they had na jurisdiction
but to grant the licence. Mr. Flathers, the freeholder of
the theatre, next addressed the bench upon the injury he
was sustaining by the licence being withheld. Memorials
in opposition to the application were received from the
Rev. Dr. Sketchley, -Vicar of Deptford ; the Rev. B. S.
Ffinch, Rector ; the Rev. C. F. S. Money, and other
clergymen and inhabitants, Mr. Brown, the principal of
I a public school in the neighbourhood of the theatre, re-
marking to the magistrates that the individual' who Win
seeking the licence, so far from being a new tbeetilm'
manager in the neighbourhood, had been the gn
of the theatre previously. The cvdts beet
cleared, the public were shortly For,
when Sir
unanimousT
thy"e the deoinlol will
granted. It is said an pp
low courts.;
be made to one a the sap
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