FANCIERS’ JOURNAL 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 
back, 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. 
FLYING SQUIRREL. 
The Flying 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 
isa 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 top 
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. Pau. Loatc. 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
Mr. Epiror. 
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. 
CONCORD, 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. 

Items. 
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. 

ge@s~ The New Bedford, Mass., editors are collecting big 
eggs, by means of artful little paragraphs, praising the per- 
sons who send in the eggs. 
kes ‘‘Boy is that a licensed dog?” asked a policeman. 
‘‘ No,” said the youngster, ‘‘ he’s a rat terrier dog, and 1’m 
taking him down to have his teeth filed.”’ 
g@s ‘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.”’ 
Be8> ADDITIONS TO THE ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION IN THE 
Parx.—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. 
gee 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 Schwinn’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. Rommel, 
and P. HE. 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 for judging. S. H. Siirer, 
: Rec. Sec’y, 
