THE HISTORY OF THE HEN FEVER. 295 



ter of the exhibition has been already indicated ; but this is 

 one' of those cases in which no description, however elabo- 

 rate, can supply the place of personal inspection." 



The British correspondent of the Boston Post, but a 

 short time previously, writes that "the fowl fever, which has 

 raged with so much violence in Neiv England during the 

 last three years, has extended to this country. There was 

 a great crowing among the cocks at the late Smithfield 

 cattle-show, and there seems to have been a still louder one 

 at the Birmingham fair. 



"The mania for the purchase of fine fowls," continues 

 this writer, "was as furious there as if each of them had 

 been the hen in the fable that found the jewel in the dung- 

 hill. Some pairs brought as high as forty pounds (two 

 hundred dollars). One very fine pair of Cochin-Chinas 

 sold for fifty pounds (two hundred and fifty dollars). In 

 the catalogue some were marked at one hundred pounds, 

 the valuation prices of owners who did not wish to sell. 

 With you, in America, the rage for fowl-raising is simply 

 one of fancy and profit,* but here it is the result — and a 

 very beneficial one, too — of free trade. The price of eggs 

 and poultry, owing to the great demand, does not fall ; the 

 price of grain, owing to free importation, does fall; and 

 hence the great profit which is realized from keeping fowls. 



We have found it a rery comfortable " rage," thank you ! 



