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KIDD’S OWN JOURNAL. 

completely out of their heads, or they would 
not ‘look like’’ pugs; and her dear little 
English toy-terrier, “ whose fate—in bond- 
age thrown for weak loveliness—is like her 
own,” must be cropped to make him “ look 
sharp.” 
You, my dear Sir, in the plenitude of your 
patronage, are pleased to call the Dog “the 
friend of man;’’ but does man make a friend 
of a creature without affection, and dead to 
pan? No! This wanton cruelty is, let 
us hope, a disease of the head, not of the 
heart; the one says “we must be in the 
fashion,’ and the other candidly acknow- 
ledges it cannot witness the scene. Of this I 
am sure, that if ladies and gentlemen would 
stand by and see this barbarous operation 
performed, or hear the piteous and heart- 
rending cries of their little favorites, during 
its performance, those who have dogs already 
““eropped’”’ would feel pity for the agonies 
they had endured, and in future refuse thus 
to allow cruelty to minister to fancy. 
Nature, my dear Mr. Editor, made us dogs 
perfect. Why should we not remain so? 
Nature made our mistresses perfect; and 
(between ourselves) why should they not 
remain so? However, that is their affair. If 
they think they can “improve ” upon nature, 
be itso. They certainly do undergo severe 
torture in the trial. But with them, the 
sacrifice is voluntary; with us poor dogs, 
it iscompulsory. Adieu! Aw revoir. I shall 
have lots more to tell you about myself and 
my race. 
Yours ever affectionately, 
August 16. CHARLIE. 
HEATED VESSELS. 
EXPOSITION OF A PARADOX. 

A very general opinion prevails, ‘that when 
water is boiling in a vessel the bottom is cool; 
but the moment it ceases to boil, the bottom be- 
comes hotter.” 
The whole of the paradox appears to be founded 
on an error of sense. When a person applies his 
finger to the vessel, though he applies it for a con- 
siderable time, it is not heated more than he can 
endure ; for the blood in the course of its circula- 
tion loses some of its heat before it arrives at the 
extremities. _ 
And till the blood in the extremities is heated 
to the same degree with that of the heart, we feel 
no pain from burning ; but as soon as this is 
effected, the least degree of heat becomes painful. 
When the finger is first applied to the bottom 
of the vessel, after it is taken off the fire, the 
heat is endured for these reasons. When the 
boiling ceases, it is natural to take the same finger 
(for, having dirtied one, people seldom choose to 
take another); and that finger being already 
heated almost as much as it could bear, now finds 
the heat at the bottom of the vessel exquisitely 
painful. 
METROPOLITAN POULTRY SHOW. 
THE GRAND SUMMER EXHIBITION having 
been held on the 26th and 27th of July (just 
as we were going to press), we were unable 
to take any notice of it in our last. Nor 
need we now offer more than a passing 
remark on what we saw. 
The Collection was a somewhat extensive 
one; but the season chosen for their display 
was truly unfortunate. Most of the old birds 
were in moult, and exhibited a very ragged 
appearance. The chickens, however, which 
were numerous, were, for the most part, 
strong and hearty. 
No fewer than 913 pens of poultry were 
submitted by the various well-known con- 
tributors to the public eye. Of these, there 
were all the usual kinds, including many of 
the Cochin China breed. We were glad to 
observe that the latter had lost one half, if 
not more, of their attraction. The season 
too very fortunately prevented their in- 
dulging so much as usual in the hideous, 
deafening noises, for which they are so cele- 
brated. They were comparatively silent. 
The Cochin China mania, we are glad to say, 
has very nearly subsided. People have 
indeed paid dearly for that whistle ! 
There were some very fine specimens of 
Spanish fowls, and some very fine old golden 
spangled Hamburghs. Some of the Polands, 
too, were good; as were certain of the game 
fowls. We observed also a few, and but a 
few, fine bantams. 
As for the Dorkings, our old favorites, we 
gazed on them with real delight. These noble 
animals carried the palm among all good 
judges. It pleased us not a little, to listen 
to the remarks of certain practical men as 
to their decided superiority (a every respect) 
over the Cochins. 
Then there were dumpies, frizzled, and 
silk fowls; pigeons, turkeys, ducks, geese, &c. 
—all very fair specimens of their kind. We 
would particularly dwell upon the arrange- 
ment of the rooms. ‘This was under the able 
superintendence of Mr. J. H. Cat.in, the 
secretary, who had carefully and successfully 
studied the comfort of the visitors, as well as 
the convenience of the animals exhibited. 
The attendance was not so large as could 
have been wished ; but the ‘‘ Cab strike no 
doubt had something to do with this. 
We observed in the further rooms, a 
variety of very useful articles connected with 
the keeping and rearing of poultry—the in- 
ventions and manufacture of Mr. Joseph 
HARDMEAT, of King’s Lynn, Norfolk. Our 
readers will remember that we called par- 
ticular attention to some of these, in our 
January number; but they have since been 
largely added to. 
We congratulate Mr. Hardmeat on the 




