FANCIERS' JOUENAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



379 



very fine in texture. In color it is cinereous, with white 

 underneath the belly. It is quite large, often reaching the 

 length of twenty-five inches. 



CHICK-ER-EE, OR RED SQUIRREL. 



The Chick-er-ee or Red Squirrel is very common through- 

 out the entire United States. It inhabits the nut and oak 

 woods, living in hollow trees. Their color is red on the 

 hack, and whitish-red beneath. This should not be con- 

 founded with the Ground-Hackey, the most common variety 

 of the family. These latter burrow in the ground, generally 

 under a rock or rotten stump. They are so common that a 

 description would be superfluous. They are easily tamed, 

 and will eat as soon as put in a cage. 



ELYING SQUIRREL. 



The Plying Squirrel is, in my opinion, one of the most 

 beautiful of the whole species. They are quite common in 

 our woods, and often take up their abode in an old garret, 

 keeping up a terrible racket during the night. On their side 

 is a fold of skin, which, on stretching out their limbs, be- 

 comes stiff and spread. By means of this they make long 

 leaps, descending from a higher to a lower tree, or from the 

 top of one to the base of another. The color of their skin 

 is a beautiful gray, and their fur is exceedingly soft, although 

 not so long as that of the larger kinds. Underneath they 

 are white, and the skin, by means of which they take such 

 enormous leaps, is edged with yellow. The face is not so 

 pointed as are the rest of the Squirrel family, and their ears 

 are destitute of fur. Their eyes are large and expressive. 



Squirrels are best taken from the nest when one-half or 

 two-thirds grown. If a bag be placed over a hole in a tree 

 containing young Squirrels, and the tree thumped, they will 

 generally run into it. The drawing-strings with which it 

 should be provided are pulled, and the inmates made prisoners. 



Gray Squirrels are taken from the nest younger than other 

 varieties, because if allowed to become very large they can 

 only with great difficulty be captured. Ground Squirrels 

 are generally drowned or dug out. After being captured, 

 the young Squirrel should immediately be placed in a large 

 box with a wire front. A small box filled with cotton, or 

 what is still better, dry corn silk, and a hole cut in the lop 

 for entrance will make a good artificial nest. After be- 

 coming accustomed to confinement, you can place them in a 

 regular cage. 



Feed Squirrels on nuts of all kinds, ripe fruit, bread, and 

 pine cones; occasionally allow them new milk; give fresh 

 water daily. Paul Logic. 



(For Fan 



' Journal.) 



Mr. Editor. 



I have a pair of common American field rabbits, which 

 were plowed up in a field when quite young. They are not 

 yet full grown, and seem perfectly contented in confine- 

 ment. Can any of your readers inform me whether they 

 can be thoroughly domesticated, how many broods they 

 have yearly, and whether they will breed in confinement? 



Yours respectfully, Frank G. Colbarn. 



Concokd, Pa. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



[Under the above head we will with pleasure answer all reasonable 

 questions concerning small pets.] 



"Guinea Pig," South Acworth, N. H. — Female Guinea 

 Pigs go with young about five weeks. They will breed at 

 the age of six weeks. They have but two teats, so your 

 doe has the right number. "Will be pleased to receive the 

 promised article. 



I J E f/l S. 



In order to make our "Item " column as interesting as possible, we 

 would be obliged to our readers for contributions of original matter, how- 

 ever short— yes, let it be condensed and to the point, in a variety of 

 style — facts and fancies interesting to fanciers. 



flgp" The New Bedford, Mass., editors are collecting big 

 eggs, by means of artful little paragraphs, praising the per- 

 sons who send in the eggs. 



J3gg~ "Boy is that a licensed dog?" asked a policeman. 

 "No," said the youngster, "he's a rat terrier dog, and I'm 

 taking him down to have his teeth filed." 



Jigg"" " Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander " is now 

 rendered — "The culinary adornments which suffice for the 

 female of the race Anser, may be relished also with the mas- 

 culine adult of the same species." 



JBgy Additions to the Zoological Collection in the 

 Pake. — On Wednesday morning, June 3d, an elk was born 

 in the Zoological Garden at Fairmount Park in this city. 

 It is a female, and beautifully spotted. The Society has also 

 received a very handsome pair of leopards and an eland. 



6@*° Buffalo are moving in immense numbers west of 

 Fort Dodge, and hundreds of hunters are gathering for the 

 slaughter. Now is the time, if soldiers are any use on the 

 frontier, to enforce the law against the wanton destruction 

 of these valuable herds. None should be killed unless the 

 meat as well as the skin is taken away for consumption. 



MARYLAND STATE POULTRY ASSOCIATION. 



The annual meeting of the Maryland State Poultry Asso- 

 ciation was held recently at Sehwinn's Hall, Nos 21 & 23 

 West Pratt Street, Baltimore. The meeting was well at- 

 tended, and was called to order at an early hour by the 

 President, Mr. J. B. Town, who made a few remarks upon 

 the present prosperous condition of the Association, and 

 showed conclusively that its future gave promise of still 

 greater results than have been achieved in the past. 



After the transaction of the usual routine business, the 

 following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing 

 year : 



President — J. B. Town. 



Vice-Presidents — Charles Becker, Frederick A. Kommel, 

 and P. E. Lloyd, of Baltimore County. 



Treasurer — George Schwinn. 



Recording Secretary — S. H. Slifer. 



Corresponding Secretary — Richard Grist. 



On motion, it was then decided to hold the next annual 

 exhibition on the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th of January, 1875. 



The success which crowned the last exhibition so gratified 

 the managers that they have this year decided to hold their 

 annual exhibition in the main hall of Maryland Institute, or 

 one of the other leading halls of the city, and no pains will 

 be spared by the committee to make it the finest exhibition 

 of the kind ever held in Maryland. The premiums will be 

 all cash, and many of them unusually large. The premium 

 list when completed will embrace every leading variety of 

 pigeons, chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks. The com- 

 mittee have resolved to increase their premiums for the 

 coming exhibition at least one hundred per cent. The list 

 will be printed in a few days. As the newly elected officers 

 are all enthusiastic fanciers and energetic business men, 

 they will certainly make the Maryland State Poultry Asso- 

 ciation one of the leading societies of Maryland. The Asso- 

 ciation has established a reading-room for the benefit of its 

 members, and the Society has ordered the Secretary to sub- 

 scribe for all the leading poultry papers and magazines in 

 Europe and this country. 



On motion, it was decided, by a unanimous vote, not to 

 receive the new Standard of Excellence, but to retain the 

 old standard as the guide forjudging. S. H. Slifer, 



Eec. Sec'y. 



