Rule 1. Exhibitors must be under sixteen years of age.

Rule 2. Exhibitors must send in their names, with a list of animals to be exhibited, not later than two weeks before the show.

Rule 3. An entrance fee of 6d. must be paid for each exhibit, a pair of the same animals counting as one.

Rule 4. The entrance fees will form the prizes.

Rule 5. Exhibitors must bring or send their pets not later than 2 o'clock on the day of the show. Any pets arriving by carrier's cart during the morning will be put into a suitable cage or hutch and fed at once.

Rule 6. Fighting dogs must be muzzled.

Rule 7. Exhibitors must be present at the judging, and must be prepared to handle their pets, and to lead dogs and other larger animals round the prize ring at the request of the judges.

Rule 8. Competitors should state whether they have bred the animals themselves, as this will be taken into consideration by the judges in awarding prizes.

Rule 9. No pet may compete which has not been in the possession of its owner for at least three weeks before the opening of the show, and must have been under the sole care and charge of the exhibitor during that time.

One of the entries for the farmyard section. A special class for farmyard pets adds much interest to the show

Rule 10. Each exhibit must be accompanied by a tied-on label bearing the name and address of the exhibitor, and his or her age, and a description of the exhibit in question, to be fastened to the cage or hutch or tied to the dogs' collars.

N.B.-In judging exhibits judges will award more marks for the perfect condition of the pets shown than for superior breed. A glossy-coated, clear-eyed mongrel puppy might take a prize, for instance, over the head of a poorly cared for, though well-bred dog; or a plump, well-kept brown rabbit over a prize-bred Angora with a dirty, matted coat.

N.B.-Rule 9 does not apply to the newly hatched or newly born. They must, however,

The rabbit class. Judge examining an Angora rabbit. This class is always a popular and well-filled one have been in their owner's sole charge since birth.

The entrance fees, it will be noted, form the prizes in each class, and the wise mother will not-except under exceptional circumstances -volunteer to pay these fees herself, because the knowledge that their own pocket-money savings are at stake adds a still further incentive to the children to learn all that is to be known on the subject of the care of their pets, in order that they may do them credit at the show and perchance win a prize. Arranging: the Show

The ideal setting for a pets' show is a corner of a farmyard with a big, airy barn, where the exhibition can be carried on regardless of weather, should the day prove unpropitious for a show held out in the open. Failing this, however, any sheltered corner of a field might be utilised.

The family stock of cages and hutches and coops should be well scrubbed out and prepared with fresh sand, sawdust, or straw, for the accommodation of the occupants a day or two beforehand, and these may be supplemented with some nice dry boxes and barrels, which, with the help of a roll of finely meshed wire netting and some tacks, can swiftly be transformed into temporary hutches for rabbits, guinea-pigs, pigeons, and poultry who may perchance arrive in hampers. Smaller exhibits, such as dormice, white rats, silkworms, or small singing birds, would, of course, arrive in their own cages.

A small vessel for water must be provided in each cage, coop, and hutch, and a small trough of water must be within reach of each of the canine exhibits, who should be provided with straw or mats to lie on, and will then do very well if tied up, by rope attached to their collars, to any handy railing a short distance apart.

Dog biscuits and bones for the dogs, bread-and-milk for cats and kittens, doves and pigeons, seed for the smaller birds, and oats and cabbage - leaves for the guinea - pigs and rabbits, should be provided, for some of the exhibits may have missed their dinner in the excitement of starting, and will be much soothed in their possibly somewhat ruffled feelings after the unaccustomed journey by the sight of suitable provender, and will set to at once to make a meal.

A special class for farmyard pets, if there are enough entries to justify it, adds much interest to the show, calves, kids, nanny goats, a lamb, and even a pet donkey, all being admissible, providing that the rule that "exhibitors must have had entire charge of any exhibit for at least three weeks before the show" has been strictly complied with. "Highly Commended" Gay ribbon rosettes for the prize-winning owners, and big white cards, printed with "First Prize," "Second Prize,"and "Third Prize" respectively, to be nailed to the winning coops and hutches, or proudly worn by the actual prize-winners themselves, besides cards bearing the words "Highly Commended" and "Very Highly

A charming second prize-winner in the cat class Commended," are a very important part of the proceedings, and must be manufactured by the boys and girls of the family in good time before the show; while, in order to make the ground as gay as possible on the day, flags may be nailed up at the gate, and if any member of the schoolroom party has a knack of drawing posters, mock advertisements of patent animal foods and drinks, painted in brilliant hues on sheets of white cardboard and stuck up at points of vantage, would add much to the general hilarity.

The prize rosettes should be made of narrow satin ribbon in three colours-red for the first prize, blue for the second prize, and yellow for the third prize respectively.

When the lists of intending exhibits, with their accompanying entrance fees, come to hand, a fortnight before the show, they must

. The owner is seen wearing a red rosette made of narrow satin ribbon be gone over carefully, and the various pets divided into classes when it is known of what animals the entries are to consist.

Rabbits

Rabbits, as a rule, are numerous enough to have a class to themselves; but if only two guinea-pigs and eight or ten rabbits were sent in, the guinea-pigs would perforce have to be judged with the rabbits.

It is a good rule to make that there must be at least four entries in order to make a separate class, while two prizes only should be awarded in a class numbering less than six separate exhibits.

The entrance fees in each class should be divided up into prizes in the following way: Rabbit class (nine exhibits at 6d. each): first prize, 2s.; second prize, is. 6d.; third prize, is.

Three judges, if possible, should be provided, in order to have a casting vote.

The entries in each class, with the names of the exhibitors, should be written on cards for the use of the judges.

The show-ground will present an animated sight on the afternoon of the show as the judges arrive armed with sheaves of papers and a basketful of prize cards and rosettes to be awarded to the lucky winners on the spot.

A row of delightful-looking dogs, ranging from a huge deerhound to a fat fox terrier puppy, each accompanied by a bright-eyed, excited-looking owner, adorns one side of the show-ground, and a little further on are several children tightly hugging much-beribboned kittens and cats, who have mostly been brought to the show with the utmost difficulty. A pile of hutches, each with a contented-looking inmate nibbling cabbage, and a mooing, bleating, and baaing farmyard party, including a fine brown calf and a beautiful white goat and a coopful of wee yellow chicks, are amongst the exhibits waiting to be judged.

The Miscellaneous Class

The "miscellaneous class" will probably afford them a good deal of trouble before the rival claims can be decided of a sleeping bat hanging head downwards from a perch, a boxful of stout silkworms, a bowl of silvery minnows, two dormice, a squirrel, and a young starling, which, found as a deserted fledgling by its young owner several weeks before hopping disconsolately along a lane, had become a domestic tyrant, clamouring daily to be fed at 5 o'clock in the morning.

The first prize will, finally, most likely go to the starling, who, seated plump and contented, and absurdly tame, on its square of fresh green turf, does its owner the highest possible credit.

Annual Shows

A pets'show, once inaugurated in a country neighbourhood, might very well be held at different houses twice a year, so that exhibitors would learn from one another when meeting to discuss the points of their various pets how best to attend to their welfare. Again, a similar show for the pets of the village children might form a branch of the local flower show. This would not only be highly popular, but would teach the children an invaluable lesson on " kindness to animals," and this is one of the most useful and important of all the lessons which a child can learn.

Three young prize-winners and their exhibits

The following is a good firm for supplying Foods, etc., mentioned in this Section: Messrs. The Molassinc Co., Ltd. (Molassine Doff Cakes and Meal).

An English girl is seen at her best on the river in a simple but charming tub frock of linen. An article on the subject of tub frocks, with a pattern for the design of the embroidery shown in this picture, appears on page 2195.