FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE 



293 



grains more, and at fourteen days three pennyweights and 

 eighteen grains more. At twenty-one days three penny- 

 weights and twenty grains. It did not hatch until the 

 twenty-fourth day. I weighed it again as the chick was 

 ready to leave the shell, and it had lost twelve grains more 

 during the last four days ; amounting in all to ten penny- 

 weights or one-half an ounce, leaving the chick and shell 

 one and three-quarters ounces — showing that the egg when 

 fresh is heavier than the chick. W. J. Pyle. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



A MARYLAND FOWL THIEF. 



Waverly is a suburb of Baltimore, and is a thriving 

 town, and, like other thriving towns, has an eccentric or 

 characteristic individual. But in this case, instead of the 

 residents, as is usual in such cases, boasting of their wonder- 

 ful genius, this Waverly eccentric is considered a most "fowl " 

 individual. For months past the residents have had frequent 

 mysterious disappearances of their poultry. One gentleman 

 lost seventy-five, another one hundred and fifty, among 

 which were some valued at $25 per pair, and many others 

 were also losers. At last it got to be too much of a good 

 thing, and the services of the city detectives were engaged ; 

 yet, notwithstanding their watchfulness, the depredations 

 still continued. One Jas. Harker was suspected and watched. 

 He was seen to leave his house every night, but was not 

 seen to return. Finally some of the residents concluded to 

 assist the detectives, and with them went on guard. Being 

 secreted near Harker's house, after midnight, they saw him 

 come out with a bag and a long jimmy. He was followed 

 but soon lost sight of, but forming an ambuscade they waited 

 his return. About 2 a.m. he came, whistling a lively tune. 

 The surprise was complete. He was stopped by the party, 

 who found in his possession five freshly killed hens, and a 

 live game cock in the bag. His house was searched, and in 

 a vacant room was found feathers which evidently were 

 plucked from no less than five hundred fowls ; some of the 

 feathers being readily recognized as coming from blooded 

 stock. The heads of over one hundred fowls were found in 

 a partly finished building near Harker's house. 



It is estimated that the fowls stolen cannot be replaced for 

 $1500. In one instance where Harker secured sixty fowls, 

 he dispatched two valuable dogs with poison. Harker, about 

 a year ago, kept a cock pit near Waverly, his establishment 

 being known as the " McDonald House," but the sign bear- 

 ing the name of a former wealthy and respected resident of 

 the vicinity, he was compelled to remove it. This Harker 

 now rests in the County jail. This is a fowl report from 

 Maryland — who can beat it? Next. G. 0. B. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



HEATHWOOD GAMES. 



Editor Fanciers' Journal. 



Agreeable to your request I send you a short history of 

 the Heathwood Games : 



In the winter of 1861 or 1862 Mr. Heathwood was the 

 recipient of a young rooster and pullet from William Wal- 

 ton, and a Pile hen, an importation from Ireland. He 

 soon after procured a Brown hen, having a remarkably 

 high comb ; to which stock he added a Claiborne rooster 

 and two hens, bred by Mr. Stone for Mr. Claiborne, from 

 whom he purchased them. He predicted that they could 

 not be crossed to produce a fowl superior to themselves. 



However, the result showed a better fowl. The Claiborne 

 is as good a fowl as stands for game, but he is better fitted 

 to fight with long heels than what is known as pit-heels. 

 To the above varieties was added the son of an imported 

 Derby ; and from this combination the result was successful. 

 The aim was to retain as much of the make-up of the Derby 

 as possible. This progeny — the Heathwood — seldom if 

 ever run, and generally win the battle. One of them 

 fought half an hour after being coupled, and having both 

 his eyes out was the winner in fighting against one of the 

 Troy white tails. They have more propelling power, so to 

 speak, than any other fowl. A well-built specimen has as 

 much strength at five pounds as others at five and a half 

 pounds. They are rapid and methodical fighters, and 

 altogether they are the best stock I ever saw. When Mr. 

 Heathwood left for Missouri he left with me four old hens, 

 second to none. Both the cocks and hens have all passed 

 through my hands at some time, and I know their qualities 

 well, and claim that I have all there are this side of Mis- 

 souri. 



I will now describe a pair of Heathwoods as they gene- 

 rally run, yet, having come from different kinds, they do 

 not breed very uniformly. A good male specimen I have 

 before me. The back and upper part of wing are dark red ; 

 saddle feathers long and of a rich shade, a fine fluff; at root 

 of tail a pure white ; bar of steel-blue on the wing ; the 

 outside of the primary feathers a rich dark chestnut color ; 

 sickle feathers long, and edged with white ; head medium, 

 strong bill, eyes large, with a red circle about them ; breast 

 a rich greenish-black, with a slight touch of chestnut toward 

 the shoulders; legs clear yellow; toes long and well spread; 

 heels low on the leg, fine and sharp; body broad, and flat 

 on the back ; breast medium height ; stands on legs firmly 

 and straight; deep in the chest; neck strong; tail a little 

 drooping. This is a general description of the Beds, which I 

 prefer to the Pile Game. The hen has a back of fine par- 

 tridge color; neck feathers of a deep yellowish color, pen- 

 ciled with black, shaded off near the head ; breast brown or 

 chestnut; wing primaries black, edged with chestnut; eyes 

 and head like the cock ; tail black ; legs yellow, sometimes 

 willow or hazel (but the cock always yellow). The pair I 

 have described, and still in my possession, will weigh ten 

 pounds. It is a fair outline of two as good fowls as exist of 

 the Heathwood Game. Neil Thompson. 



Dkacut, Mass. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



WORDS OF COMFORT. 



In almost every number of every poultry paper that comes 

 to hand, the Journal included, there is a large amount of 

 correspondence from a class of persons who it appears were 

 born to be " bit " by sharpers. These men are continually 

 crying down low prices, and thus increasing their chances 

 for getting "sold" at "fancy figures," for there are enough 

 who are willing to " sell " them for a " good price " as soon 

 or sooner than a low one. 



I believe there are as honorable and as honest dealers who 

 will sell fowls or eggs at a reasonable prices as those who ask 

 such exorbitant prices, as many dealers do. I find those 

 who are the victims of swindlers are the ones who pay a 

 large price for their fowls and their experience. Poultry is 

 often advertised at from ten to thirty dollars per pair that is 

 not worth one farthing more that those which are to be had 



