H90 
threo years «g°- The increase in the number of Dorkings 
ffir exhibition, as well ns their enh-pd quaLfica- 
Sons, testify that Fancy is not the mgning goddess of theee 
exhibitions, but that utility is likewise sought ^r by thoM 
who enter the arena. The Cochin-chinas occupied then p«o- 
per position, not being too much overrated, l^keys ducks, 
and geese were good, both m breed and weight. Ihe collec- 
tion of pigeons was much more hunted than that of last 
vear. The display, however, was considered to be one of 
hieh merit, more especially as regards the almond tumblers 
2SSS were in excellent feather-and the earners. Isume- 
rous prizes were awarded. . 
A Useful Biud.— M r. James Oram, railway officer, of 
Trowbridge, has a pheasant or farm-yard lieu, which com- 
menced laying on the 3rd of February last, since which tune 
she has regularly laid five eggs weekly. She has . never 
turned broody, or moulted during the time, and still con- 
tinues to lay the above number, and appears as fresh as when 
she first commenced. The total number of eggs laid since 
the 3rd of February to the 4th inst., is 210. 
Essex Poultry Show. — The entries for this show, which 
is to take place at Colchester, on the 28th, 29th and 30th 
inst., exceed 750 pens, against 216 last year : and, with the 
exception of Birmingham, will bo the largest show in the 
kl MEL°KSHAM Poultry Exhibitioh.-AI the Agricultural 
Show the poultry was the most popular point of attraction. 
There were about 125 coops, containing nearly every speci- 
men of domestic fowl ; many of them, ns the selling prices 
at which they were marked testified, were considered 
valuable. . , 
Prices of Poultry in America.— V* e have been fre- 
quently asked by correspondents if it would pay to export 
poultry to the United States. The following account of an 
important sale at New York will, perhaps, be interesting to 
them “ The stock of poultry imported by Mr. Giles, of 
Woodstock, Conn., was sold at auction at Bamum's Museum, 
on Saturday, Nov. 4 th. The very rare birds sold at high 
prices, while on the more common sort there was a dead 
loss upon the cost in Euglaud, of about an average of 75 per 
cent. The pair of Mandarin ducks, said to have cost 75 
guineas (about $375) in England, sold for $150. Among the 
other sales were the following : — 
dols. 
1 pair of while swims 100 
1 white female swim 60 
1 block femalo swan <50 
1 pair of black swans 00 
1 pair Japanese peacocks .... 100 
1 pair barnacle geese 40 
3 noop-bill ducks 75 
dols. 
1 pnir of call ducks 12 
1 Sheldrake duck 10 
3 spoon-bill dui ks 13 
1 pair of pin-tail ducks 6 
1 pair of widgeon ducks 12 
1 pair of widgeon ducks 7 
3 widgeon ducks 9 
1 pair golden pheasants 19 
•1 pairs of English pheasants, nt 10, 11, and 16 dollars per pair. 
3 male golden pheasants, at 6, 8.50, nnd 12.50 dollars each. 
3 male silver pheasants, at 10, 10.80, mid 10 dollar* each. 
The sales of Shanghais, and birds in that line, went off at 
what the owner called ‘ sickly prices.' The following 
indicates the prevailing rates : — 
dol. c. dol. o. 
•1 Bramah Pootras, 1 cock nnd 
3 liens, each 2 50 
1 Poland hen 1 25 
1 Bolton gray hen 1 25 
1 pair of gray Dorkings .... 10 
3 ditto 15 
C Seabriglit bantams, in two 
lots, each 
2 ditto, hens, each . . 
6 00 
, 2 00 
3 golden ditto, each 1 87 
3 English bantams, each .... 1 2f 
3 ditto, each 2 37 
A w.«v,. n«.iy - — 
1 pair of golden llambargs. . 2 25 
- • *l: ‘ ~ * 
1 pair of black Spanish fowls 10 00 
1 pair of ditto 6 GO 
lW| „ ... 2 black Shanghai liens 3 00 
1 pair of beautiful white turkeys, 6 dollars. 
3 pairs of barnacle geese, 12 and 11 dollars ; 2 pairs of Egyptian gecso, 
10 and 10 dollars." 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
MAGPIES. 
In reply to the enquiry of “Cochin-china’' in your last., I 
beg to inform him that no kind of vermin can be so readily 
destroyed as magpies. Let him obtain a small quantity of 
the purest strychnine at a chemist’s : and, having procured a 
rabbit (just killed), open it over the region of the heart, and 
insert about two grains of the poison into the cut ; place the 
rabbit near the place the magpies frequent, anil he will see 
them drop dead almost immediately after they have preyed 
upon it. I have destroyed more than a dozen with one 
rabbit thus prepared, and have made use of young sickly 
lambs and fawns for the same purpose, but the quantity of 
the poison inserted was proportionately increased. 
Medicus. 
Mr. Editor, — “Cochin-china" may get rid of magpies by 
introducing arsenic into lien’s eggs. “ Make a hole at either 
end, put in the poiiion, and stir it well up with the contents 
of the egg ; then carefully close up the broken shell with 
clay, and drop them in different parts of bis plantation.” — 
Yours truly, W. S. WOBBOYB. 
Dec- 11, 1854. 
Sir, — In your impression of Saturday last I observed a 
correspondent signing himself “ Cochin-china,” inquiring 
the best method of destroying magpies. I beg to explain 
a method which my late father used thirty years ago round 
his preserver in Wiltshire, and which answered the purpose 
effectually. 
THE FIELD. 
Some posts about ten feet high, were fixed in the ground about 
200 yards apart, along the outside of the cover. The top of 
the post was morticed out, so as to receive (flush) a round gin ; 
unlike the common gin, it was round, with the spring under- 
neath. A small chain nnd staple is all that is required 
besides. Hawks, jays, owls, and magpies, were each caught 
iu this way. They select a position of this kind to await 
their prey from the woods. No bait is used. 
Exeter, Dec 11th, 1854.. A Subscriber. 
Ab poultry shows are now coming on pretty thickly, may 
I, through the medium of your paper, ask why all the 
prizes are given to the white checked Spanish in preference 
to tho red checked t the former being I am well persuaded 
only an accidental variety of the latter, and, although hand- 
some, in all other respects inferior to the red cheeked, 
being smaller, more delicate, and laying a smaller egg. 
Surely in deciding prizeB, all the good qualities of a bird 
should bo taken into consideration, and not merely some 
accidental peculiarity in make or feather. — I am, Sir, your 
obedient seiVaut, RUSTIOUS. 
ItATS. 
Sib, — You would oblige me, and many of my neighbours, 
by publishing iu your valuable paper a sure and easy 
method to get rid of rats. 
They have become so cunning nnd rapacious that they are 
quite a plague. Not content with young turkeys and ducks, 
they have actually burrowed under the greenhouse, and 
made a dessert of’ the finest grapes. Perhaps some one of 
your numerous readers would kindly give me the desired 
information. — Yours obediently, Hatto. 
Dec. 12, 1854. 
THE FIELD NATURALIST. 
♦ 
A Bef. Master Par Excellence. — Wildman, the practi- 
cal apiarist, had as much power over bees as the', 11 whisperer’ 
over horses. He would make them leave the hive, and he 
would walk abroad with them hanging like a veil from his hat 
or suspended from his chin like a heal'd. He could make 
honey and wax without destroying the bees — would 
throw them by handfuls into the air, and make them enter 
the hive at the word of command ; and he has been known to 
go out covered all over with bees on the front of his person, 
his eyes alone not hidden by them, and in this condition, 
mmuit on horseback, and take a gallop across the fields. 
Bees and their habits. — Truly they are a wonderful peo- 
ple — perfect in architecture — bold iu strategy — learned iu the 
division of labour — exemplary in their affection for the young 
— and unselfish, some say foolish, iu labouring, not for them 
selves, but for others. With all their virtues, however,] they 
are given to tippling, and many a bee who has left the hive 
before noon, [sober as a philosopher, has been found far away 
from home, late at eve, joyously tipsy, on his back, at the foot 
of a honeysuckle ; or, if that home be iu a town, helplessly 
drunk inside a cask of molasses. Nevertheless, dissipation is 
not attended with oblivion of duty. The “ fastest’’ of bee.s is 
ready when the proper call is heal'd, to attack invaders, to 
heat off winged highwaymen, to hermetically seal up what is 
offensive, to join iu July in the annual massacre of drones, or, 
in the terrible event of a Queen’s decease, to create a new one 
by taking a vulgar individual, to whose tail is given an impos- 
ingly aristocratic extension, and who becomes Queen by right 
of such droll fashioning. — Treatise by the Rev. J. Wood. 
Wintering Bees. — The successful wintering of bees is a 
subject of deep interest to apiarians, in all climates; and 
various methods are necessary, according to the latitudes iu 
which they are kept, the degree of cold to which they are 
subject, and the prevalence of deep snows, &c. In all locali- 
ties' where the snow seldom remains on the ground but a 
few days — say, south of the latitude of tho city of New 
York — populous families require no especial winter protec- 
tion, and a current of cool air passing under them, by having 
a front and rear passage-way, will cause them to remain in 
their hives, unless it be very mild weather. If the hives be 
well shaded, so that the rays of the sun cannot fall upon the 
entrances or passage-ways, but few bees will Bally out when 
the ground is covered with snow, and perish, as is the case, 
when no means are taken to prevent such a result. Iu other 
locations further north, where the weather is very severe ; 
and deep snows frequently cover the grounds for months, a 
different method of management is necessary. We have 
adopted several ways of wintering bees under Buch circum- 
stances, and the best one, in our opinion, is to let the hives 
remain in their summer position, and protect them, either 
by an outer hive, or by surrounding the hives with hay, or 
straw. The outer hive is made to slip over that in 
which the bees are, to be lot down on the same level 
as the hive proper, with a passage-way in front, to cor- 
respond with that of the inner hive. The hay or straw 
covering is arranged as follows: — The hives are first placed 
on low stools — say from six to twelve inches high, if 
they do not rest on such such stools permanently- — and 
without changing their position, except by placing them 
| nearer tho ground than where they previously stood. Stakes 
I are theu driven into the ground around them, two oneach side 
j of each hive, large enough to support the hay, and long 
enough to reach about four inches above the hives when driven 
into the ground. The hay is then stuffed around the hives on 
all sides firmly, and, when complete, cover the tops of tho 
hives with hay, then take strong twine and tie the tops of the 
stakes together, in order to hold the hay fast, then remove 
the hay from the pnssage ways, so that the bees can pass out 
and in, and then place a board in front of each liive to darken 
the passage ways, and your work is done. An inch-auger 
hole, however, should be bored through the centre of each 
stand, as the pnssnge-wnys are liable to become stopped up 
with dead beeB during tho winter, and cause suffocation, if 
no such holes are made. Bees managed in this way con- 
sume but little food, will not suffer from the most intense 
cold, and will come out in the spring iu a very healthy con- 
dition. 
ODE LETTER BAS. 
♦ 
“ FOOD FOR HORSES.”— To “ A. Z." 
Sir, — In answer to your iuquiiy of last week, I apprehend 
your mare is Buffering from worms, and should recommend 
you instructing your groom to ascertain whether this is the 
case ; if it is, and your groom docs not know how to euro 
her, any veterinary surgeon can easily do so ; but, until they 
are destroyed, all the keep you can give will not got the 
mare in condition. — Your obedient servant, 
Dec. 12, 1854. S. W. C. 
Sin, — I would recommend your subscriber “A. Z.” to give 
liis mare a gill of linseed oil with a horn, twice a-week, for about 
a mouth. This should be given on an empty stomach, first thing 
in the morning. Her feeds should be a quartern of oats (with 
about a hatful of hay) at six o’clock ; a quartern of oats (with- 
out hay) at twelve o’clock ; half a quartern of oats (without 
hay) at five o’clock ; and about a pint of barley which has 
been stirred for two hours mixed with a little bran, should ho 
givou along with a small quantity of hay, at about eight 
o’clock. 
If this does not produce a marked difference in four or 
five weeks, I shall be glad to hear again from him. If she 
has much work she should bo singed or clipped, otherwise 
her coat may keep her in low condition. — Yours, 
Chorlton. 0. J. 
Sir, — “A Subscriber from the First” should use a “se- 
cundum ” bit. This class of bit is made in all degrees of 
severity, and I can speak highly of its efficaciousness. There 
is a “secundum Pelham” bit, with which all horses may he 
ridden pleasantly. I use no other kind, either for the lightest 
or the hardest-mouthed horses. Auy respectable saddler 
can supply your correspondent with this kind of bit, together 
with particulars relative to the degrees of severity exercisod 
by each strength, &c. 
To bring forth its greatest power, only one side of the curb- 
rein must he pulled. — Yours, 
Chorlton. 0. J. 
Large Otters. — The notice in a recent number of the 
Inverness Courier of some large otters killed by a cor- 
respondent in Lanarkshire, has induced a subscriber in 
Kuoydart to mention the following : — Donald Gillies, game- 
keeper, Inverie, Capluaua, lately killed an otter in Glernlu- 
lachan, which weighed twenty-four pounds. 
A Patriotic Offer. — Tho Oxford Chronicle publishes 
the following advertisement : — "Now, Soldiers' Widows, Look 
out. — A widower, of good character, with five children, 
offers to marry the widow of any soldier Blain at Alma. 
For particulars, apply to Mr. Higgs, draper and tailor, South 
Stoke, Oxou. The above offer is to be considered the con- 
tribution to the Patriotic Fund of the widower.” 
SEBASToroL, alias Sevastopol, alius Sewastopol, (or by 
whatsoever name the place is to be spoken of). Iu “ A 
Woman's Journey round the World,” written by Ida Pfeiffer, 
there appears the following allusion to this stronghold of the 
Russians. “ 29th September.— To-day we stopped at tho 
strong and beautiful fortress, Sewastopol. The works are 
partly situated at the entrance of the harbour, and partly in 
the harbour itself ; they are executed in massive stone, and 
possess a number of towers and outworks which defend the 
entrance to the harbour. The harbour itself is almost 
entirely surrounded by hills, and is one of the safest and 
most excellent in the world. It can hold the largest fleets, 
and is so deep that the most gigantic man-of-war can lie at 
anchor close to the quays. Sluices, docks, and quays have 
been constructed iu unlimited splendour and magnificence. 
The whole of the works were not quite finished, and there 
was an unparallelled activity present. Thousands of men 
were busy on all sides. Among the workmen I was shown 
many of the captured Polish nobles who had been sent hero 
as a punishment for their attempt, in 1831, to shake off the 
Russian yoke. The works of the fortress and the barracks 
are so large that they will hold about 30,000 men." 
Stobcrtteements* 
D O YOU BRUISE YOUR OATS 
YET ?— Great Saving.— New Oat Crushers, i 
Chaff Cutters. Mangles, £2. 10s. Gd -, Flour Mill-. ' 
£* log. 6il ; Book on Feeding, Is. — WEDLAKE 1 
and Co., 11*. FENCUURCH-STREET. 
4 LLSOPP’S pale ALE in BOTTLE, ' 
jr\. ns supplied to the CRYSTAL PALACE; | 
also in Casks of 18 Gallons, rccoiu mended l>v Baron ; 
LIEBIG. 
Address, HARRINGTON PARKER and Co. 
5J, PALL-MALL, London. 
I OANb. — Persons desirous of obtaining 
J ADVANCES from j£60 to £280, upon ap- 
proved personal security, repayable by ea-y instal- 
ments, extending over a lengthened period, arc 
invited to examine the principles of the BRITISH 
MUTUAL SUBSCRIPTION LOAN ASSU- 
RANCE CLASSES. Prospectuses, Reports, and 
every information, may be obtained on application 
at the British Mutual Life Office, 17, New Bridge- 
street, Uluckfrinr*. Rules Gd. each copy, or Is. per 
post. CHARLES JAMES THICK E, 
Resident Secretary. 
V> E C I P K S, It E MED1 E S, &c.— 
i A RECIPE, &c„ of any description, sent 
free for a SHILLING. 
ddresp ' MYMICUS, 2C3, HIGH HOLBOBN, 
GUNS, RIFLES, AND REVOLVERS. 
J LANG lias an extensive assortment 
• of Second-hand GUNS, by all the first 
London Makers, at half their original cost, which , 
he bus taken in exchange, in addition to his own | 
superior GUNS and RIFLES, as turned out by the 
late Joseph Man ton, for the superior finish of which 
J. Lang obtained a prize-medal at the Great Exlii- 
bition. Rilles on the most approved plan for the 
Conical Ball, for Deer-shooting or long distances. 
Revolving Pistols on J. Lang's own plan, as also] 
Dean and Adams', Colt's, tkc . ; but n trial is re- 
commended before risking money or life. 
22, Cockspur-street, London. I 
D O YOU WANT LUXURIANT 
HAIR. WHISKERS. &c. ?-lfao, ELLEN 
GRAHAM’S MOUKRKNK is unfailing in it* ] 
efficacy. It reproduces the hair when lost by dls- I 
ease or decay, prevents its fulling off, effectually . 
| check* greyucss. strengthens weak hair, and is 
I guaranteed to produce whiskers, moustnehio*, Ac., 
, m three or four week*. For beautifying the hair, 
and sustaining its curling powers, it has no equal, 
j Sent post iree on receipt of twenty-four post 
stamp*. I.y Mi** GHAIIAM, 3, NEW-KOAD. 
HORNSEY, Middlesex. 
“ My whiskers are greatly improved."— J. Short, 
I Dudley. 
"It ha- produced hair where I was bald.*’— W. 
Morgan, Milford. 
" My hair has thickened since Using it.”— Miss 
Gowk, Bridgwater. 
“I have a full pair of whiskers." — II. Robb, 
Hertford. 
" It lias effectually checked the grcyncss."— Mrs . 
Hood, Dorking.] 
H orse clothing, iiorse rug, 
and .SADDLERY' WOOLLEN WARE- 
HOI -i 9. G OS W ELL-JSTREE I . CITY.- 
Cll R I STOP HER ASKEW (successor to Mr. E. 
C. Davies) begs to inform the Nobility, Gentry, 
and all consumers ol Horse Clothing, that his 
stock (well known to be the most extensive) is now 
replete with every article necessary to the equip- 
ment ol a horse or stable, ami will lie sold at those 
moderate prices which upwards of a century has 
obtained for this establishment n world-wide repu- 
tation. Carriage wrappers and knee-rugs in great 
variety. Warehouses— 9, Goswell-street, London, 
and 17, Rnnelagh-strect, Liverpool. Manufactory 
— Kendal, Westmoreland. 
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. 
r piIE most appropriate offerings for this 
JL reason of festivity are those winch tend to 
the promotion of health and personal attraction : 
none can he more acceptable tliun ROWLAND'S 
MACASSAR (ML, for imparling a trnnsceiidant 
lustre to tile Iluir, and sustaining it in decorative 
charm 
HOWLAND'S KALYDOK imparls a radiant 
bloom to the Cheek, and u delicacy and softness to 
the Hands, Arms, ami Neck ; ana ROWLAND’S 
O DON TO. or PEARL DEN IT FRICK, bestows on 
| the Teeth a pearl-like whiteness, and renders tho 
breath sweet and pure. 
The patronage of Royalty throughout Europe, 
their general use by rank and fashion, and the 
] universally-known efficacy of these articles, give 
them a celebrity unparalleled. 
Sold by A. ROWLAND and SONS, 20, llulton- 
, garden, London, und by chemists and perfumers. 
BEWARE OF SPURIOUS IMITATIONS III 
1 POULTRY, RABBIT, SIIEEP. and 
1 CAT FENCING.— Hare or Rabbit Nets, on 
Cords, for Covert Shooting, 12 mesh over, -l feet 
wide, Ijd. per yard ; is mesh^WT. C feet wide, 2]d. 
per yard ; 24 mesh over, 8 feet, 3d per yard ; each 
Edge Corded, Jd. per yard extra; extra stout 
ditto, l* mesh wide, 4d. per yard, suitable I" 1 ’ 
Poultry Fencing. Square Mesh Cricketing M'j. 
fix its full width and length, made of stout cord. 
3d. to 4d. per square yard. This is the best article 
made for fencing against fowls, cuts, Ac. nt 'V . 
CULLINGFORD'S, No. I. EDMUND- ER- 
KACE, BALL'S POND-ROAD, near Kingslund- 
gate, London. . 
D O YOU WANT BEAUTIFUL HAIR, 
WHISKERS, &c. f — If 80, use PALMA- 
PI LLA, declared by thousands of testimonial* to 
be magical in its effects. In all cases of biddm - 
it is a certain remedy, causing a thick and luxu- 
riant growth, strengthening weak lmir, prevent nut 
its falling off, and checking greyness in all 
singes. For the production of Whiskers ami 
Mou laches iu two or three weeks it has never been 
known to fail. . . 
Price Qs. ; sent post free (anywhere) on receil 1 . 
of 21 penny postage still ups, by Miss ALILi? 
MELVILLE, 2 ft, Argyle-squarc, London. 
" 1 was quite bald, hut have now a good liend oi 
hair "—Win. Ilopton. ,, 
" My whiskers are growing very thick. — «• 
Mode, Esq. , 
" It restored my hair, which 1 had lost w 
patches."— W. Sturt . .... 
It lias quite checked the greyuess."— Miss Ein • 
" My moustache is greatly improved."— tapt«» 
Ross. 
