BANTAM NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 56

BANTAM NOTES.

By Black Bed.

The Dunedin Fanciers’ Club’s Show has come and gone, and we have seen as fine a show of bantams as the Dunedin public have had the privilege of seeing for a long time. There were about 80 bantams penned, perhaps not so many as last year, but for quality it has not been surpassed in Dunedin, which speaks well for the Bantam Club, having only been in existence for a few years. Starting some five years ago with a membership of six, to-day it has a roll of 60 members, all keen bantam fanciers, and is increasing every day, some 20 new members having applied for membership for next year. This club finds special prizes, which are allotted to the various classes of bantams. At the late show they donated 16 specials, ranging from £5 5s down 10s 6d, and were all well competed for. The club have already secured a large number of specials to bo competed for during next year, and intend to cater for all varieties of bantams. Messrs M'Ara and Brown, of 13 Richardson street, St. Kilda, have started xeeping bantams, and have two pons of beautiful white Old English game, kept in two very nicelybuilt runs. Those two young fanciers also intend importing a trio of Old English game duckwing bantams. Mr Been, Bay View road, St. Kilda, has secured from Messrs Omand and Day a fine duckwing cockerel, which, mated to his prize-taking hen, should give some fine stock. Mr H. Otto, of Josephine street, Cavcrsham, and Mr J. Mills, of Macandrew road. South Dunedin, have decided to give up the Barred Rocks and take up the bantam fancy, and have made arrangements with several breeders for settings and trios ' of their special fancies. The Taieri Show, to be held on the 26th, should draw some good oorapoti-

tion, as 1 the fancy for good jpantams was never keener in Dunedin than _it is to-day. Most bantam fanciers intend getting their breeding pens mated up right away, and thus secure early chicks, as it has been a complaint for a long time that the show _ comes on too early for bantams hatched m_ October and November, the birds never being what you would term really ready. P cr " son thinking of taking up bantams for % hobby should join the Bantam Club and get into touch with its members and find out through them where they can secure the best birds, as it is folly to start with a lot of inferior birds. It is better to (start with a trio of good ones.