reform. 
_ injury. 
FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 

country) than all the present organizations has yet accom- 
plished. There is, however, one serious obstacle. Several 
of the present members of the ‘A. P. A.” must resign or 
I see in the list the name of a breeder from Cen- 
tral New York who is now sending circulars through the 
country admitting that he loaned a man ‘‘only fair’? Duck- 
wing Games from which to advertise eggs as from imported 
stock. I have had dealings with the same party: a trio of 
Creveceurs, which I purchased of him for breeding pur- 
poses, arrived with a cockere] having splashes of gold in his 
hackles as big as the end of my thumb; he was good eating, 
however, after I got a little flesh on him. Another breeder, 
with yards near New York city, would object to showing, 
as samples of his stock, chicks that I got from eggs pur- 
chased of him for Crevecceurs; yet his name appears on the 
list. A third breeder, who hails from Worcester, Mass., I 
have never dealt with, but I have read his advertisements 
and his contributions to poultry literature; and if any per- 
son who knows what a hen is will read his contribution to 
the May number of the American Agriculturist and say that 
he is proper authority to be intrusted with the revision of 
the standard, I never wish to exhibit subject to its dictum 
again. Such breeders will neither give confidence to 
amateurs or strength to an organization. 
I see in your issue of the 30th ultimo that the Secretary 
of the Association requests everybody to send to him correc- 
tions of errors or omissions that may have occurred in the 
first edition. Is it intended to embrace all these corrections 
in the second edition? If not, who is to decide which are 
worthy to go in and which shall be left out? Did it ever 
oceur to the officers of the “A. P. A.” that the appointment 
of a committee for each class, instructed -to obtain the 
written ideal of each breeder in that class in the country, 
would enable them by a few hours collating of these 
opinions to arrive at a fair idea of what constitutes a perfect 
specimen in the minds of the breeders themselves, and this 
certainly would be the foundation ‘for a ‘Standard of Ex- 
cellence.”’ 
If the originators of this Association take immediate and 
definite steps for a radical improvement in their bantling, 
and make some efforts for the formation of an association 
that shall be of some benefit to the fraternity, they can suc- 
ceed in uniting much of the presgnt opposition; but if not, 
they will be opposed by another organization, and the 
result will be a spirit of contention that will work only 
AN AMATEUR. 
Deel 

yas> A new manner of catching rats is exciting great in- 
terest among the returning householders in Madison Avenue. 
A barrel is filled half-full of water. A layer of powdered 
cork is laid on its surface, and over this a layer of corn 
meal is sifted. A chair and a box or two are placed unob- 
trusively in the neighborhood, whereby the rat gains the 
edge of the barrel. He sees nothing but the meal; he has 
no innate ideas which teach him to beware of the treacher- 
ous foundation on which that tempting surface rests ; he sniffs, 
he leaps, and goes gently down, through meal and cork, to 
his watery grave! If any of his friends see him disappear 
from the edge of the barrel they hasten after him to get 
their share of the probable plunder, and are in turn taken in 
by hospitable death. The plan seems effective as against the 
rats, but is calculated to destroy their confidence in human 
nature. 


323 



WHITE-FACED BLACK SPANISH. 
As the name indicates, there is no doubt that this ancient 
and naturally aristocratic breed originated in Spain, as its 
kindred are generally found ‘‘at home”’ there, among which 
are the Andalusians and others, which are quite numerous 
also in many of the neighboring States bordering on the Med- 
iterranean Sea. The Spanish are among the old-established 

varieties, and are entitled to all the honors which so charac- 
teristically distinguish them, having been raised to a high 
degree of excellence—the effect of long and careful breed- 
ing, which is especially observable in the white face, which 
feature is the most strikingly peculiar, indicating careful 
and patient selections in mating. The ancestors have this 
trait comparatively well developed. In perfection, the 
white face should be of a soft and delicate texture, free from 
dark hairs, feathers, or other unsightly blemishes, and when 
well shaped the outline should extend well back behind the 
ear, the lobe of which should be of nearly equal length with 
the wattles. The next important feature is the high and 
single comb of the cock, which is generally much too large 
as now bred, and for exhibition purposes has to be pre- 
viously supported by artificial appliances to prevent the lop- 
ping, which was once the fashion, and is still one of the 
sexual characteristics of the hen only. The comb should be 
bright red, firm, well set on the head, being thick at the 
base, growing gradually thinner toward the edge, and 
should be perfectly erect and free from twists, rising from 
the beak, between the nostrils, extending in an arched form 
over the back part of the head, and almost touching the top 
of the neck. The serrations should be deep, and gradually 
increasing in depth from the front toward the highest part. 
The beak should be of a deep horn-color, long, and stout, 
