THE FEATHER FANCY

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 186, 1 May 1908, Page 11

THE FEATHER FANCY

~, [Notes by " Domino."] ' . T, POULTRY SHOW'S. June-3.—Woodville. ■■-■.■ . . •-• '•Jqhe:.^ll.',l2'—Ekotahuna. v June -17,- 18. —Haivcra. .-■■ - 'June .18,• 19, 20. —Auckland. Juno 23, .24, 25, 26. —Palmerston North. . JuJy-2, 3; 4. —Wellington. . July 3,-4. —Newton, .. . ■■■~■ . Jiily-;7, B.—Carterton. : ' : > July.B, 0. —Wanganui. July 8,-9, 10, 11 —-WaiKato. . ■ July 40, 11. —Wairarapa. ' July. 10/ol6.—Pahiatua. ■■■■■.' July.l 7, 18. —Hastings. . ■■■ <, ... . ■ . ... Jfuly ,21,- 22.—Napier: : :- . . July 23, 24, 25— Taianaki. .' 'July .SS/ 29.—Marton: ■■■• • ■ , August 6, 7.—Taihapo . Messrs. vJ. H.. Shaw and F. Hawke have been.~'..rccommonded by the News-. Zealand- /•: UtilityiChlb aa judges in the utility classes- . . at-.the Manawatu'A. 1 and P. Show., .What ..; t aboutithe : .judges for the fancy classes? Are tßey^yot; appointed? . iOl:)tho >100. ribbons . secured- by the Christ-. - church ■ :Poultry . and' Pigeon' Club . from Messrs:: Rogen' and ClarksoiK 65 have been allottedr:<to ■ the- Poultry Glasses,. .25 to pig<»ns, and 10 to canaries. Ribbons in ..... ,'the 'Dominion-are an innovation. . • -A : • I .learn'that: Mr.. John Urquhart, a member, 5 of; the: .Wellington Society, 1 and an ardent- fancier of the Black. Orpington, is to be, transferred to- Napier, 'and will • procee<l there .very shortly to tako up his duties in l : .a ' Government department. 1 . i Tho -promoters; of the .Old- English. Game C!ub,-,slessrs. H.: A. -'Shepherd and. Agmer Smith, aro meeting-with-.much support, and . ~ jt.iS'confidently expected that, ere long; the > Club.iWiU .be an established fact., : It.is 111tended. to call a meeting of all interested at an early, date. ■ . >.Tho Levm'A..vand'P. Association contemv plate?, holding, a winter' show for poultry on ■ a idate t to ,bo • fixed . Inter. ■ .There aro many , goodifanciers'in the Levin district. , ;v , .'j Mr. -■/,Norman - Higgio, i- an enthusiastic W'anganur. fancier,: is- oxjiecting from. Eng-land-,at an .early date-his recent/purchases, namely,! a: Rosecombi Buft . Orpington . cocko-. / . relijand a Blue; Orpington drake.. Iv-trust , success -will follow.Jtfrr- Higgio's enterprise.,!.: -The,honesty. Fancy? ,• Tho, questioiv■ v - is« o(ten asked— their • honoiU"- amongst ■ fanciers?,.;,. This question has'.been brought(!i • to'.my-jiund of lato 011 reading the Engfish. 1 Fajicy and many instances. im\*o | .been ~ notedv there of- fanciers who have at j - , yariousatimes- secured . valuablevprizes: with- ! birds !(particularly pigeons) iin x classes; of llio .- ; . 'Opposito, ses to which their bird belongs. . A -! .mistake .of ■ this , kind, is very , easily made • . wthryoung birdsi' as many-are very "slow to discloscutheir sex.'- This being so, -and if.> ■ is discovered, , it .devolves;'upon . honour.; to .make, amends for . - the .'error-of'.judgments I am :plensed to ~ notoJthat,in .England this 'course has boen., adopted in- quitO' a-numberr of cases,, to ,tho . crodit of tlie .exhibitor. -I havo hoard, of ; , lata, ! rumours regarding the. sex of <a certain ' ;, wjriner; , At: a recent ' New!, Zealand > Show.: ; . Thjs a . valuable trophy :as a .'hen, an'dJis'j.allegedi to -have,,turned out to .bo :of' , the 'male sox. ' .j. " '1 " ' ; ■ r :, I-'v.may.. be ■. excuserl ■ for.l giving a few extracts 1 from -Pigeons"- upon. the above ;'. subjefct:—:The.ilatest recruit: .to the " fair sex ';:;' i) .is:|A^.''/Alesr f .Wmli^ Since -.the passing^of-. th'o • classicals..! , .'iiiu • ;ji , , :,viz>, mealyj ; _ blue, and .grizzle/months too late j 1 : .to. take tneir!-proper!-.plao6'in< the^show(-pon<i). ■'What...about,-,the.iprizo'.moneyPvv'The gonial • . ov/ner-'asks .if-it should ,be handed' to ,the 1 . next ■.cock,.. which was .beaten by one of the' - gfcntler sex. .' We hear, by tho way, of several ; cases !where:,.promiiicnt, i "hens , - , '..of.''.last i sea- . son-have:.proved ;co be-cocks; and :still more ' .. of ' "probaDles." .We -only: hope that all : .-■;>.bte«^rs.Vwillhave'vtHe''hbnesty(.'.t6';r : 6^ : ;upi ; .;", ; and thus let justice be done. • All good ■ sportsmen, we know, will do so r; -V-:'!:The-.Jhird ;'.prize-wiriiier; in ; t1ie11907.; Silver', . Owl Hen .Class at the Crvstal Palace Show, .. owned,; and exhibited by- W... 1 :. E. ■ Wat-.' ■. mdugh;[has .turned out a .ccck. r -Alex. ; •;; \VriyHt j;dr agon;fa nie, ,'sti 11la merit i'ri g • i: ' . tior.si'i;J One '-'of,"'the '.'supnosed: ccck's from . - ; tl|e. renowned -"Pearl"; has.-at:last'declared ' its;trub'sex,''aiid if the lady had onl.V ascertCd.- herself' at the proper time; probably the-best young- blue hen- of 1907 would havo . beei'-^onmm"aMhe: classical', shows.-;. :, '■ ,>>.■, v!: , v : ', f. Overheard • i\t: an;-English , Show ".recently:; >• . /Dragonr'exhibitor. (with 'commended ticket) • , "Was ye ever 111 the ainny, judge Judge; "No, but .1., am-a voluyteer." : ■ Dragon■ .oxhibitor:.. "I :cou!d toll ye • to .the infantry.", Gratified 'judge (swelling: ■ • his -.chest),'' How?",-- Dragon exhibitor: "I>'S^^yp v :'ke^;napthing; ; abp^t* ! 'dragoons;"Jv:' ?