FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
651 
tion. It is about the size of a wasp. In fair weather they 
may be seen constructing their cells of mud against walls 
and sunny dry places. They are really prison dungeons. 
In company or alone they hunt whatever spiders are found, 
seizing them adroitly, and away they fly with their prisoners, 
which are forced into the cells, sometimes three or four in 
one. When secure, they drop in an egg and then plaster 
over the top securely. When the egg hatches the young 
worm has an ample supply of food all ready for consump- 
tion. 
[The above puts us in mind of an incident that happened 
twenty-five years ago. When a boy, hunting birds’ nests, we 
observed a wasp (yellow-jacket) drop into the web of a 
large spider. As this was something new we watched the 
movements of both very closely. The wasp lay perfectly 
still. The spider came out and apparently bound him fast, 
and as he was turning to enter his den as usual in such cases, 
the wasp turned and took hold of the spider, cut his legs 
off, took him in his mouth, and flew away with him to his 
nest. The whole was the work of but a moment. — Ed.] 
Poultry 
(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
POULTRY AT THE NORTHERN OHIO FAIR. 
The Fair of the Northern Ohio Fair Association was held 
the week following the State Fair, at Columbus. The Fair 
at Cleveland opened under a cloudy sky. Wednesday morn- 
ing the weather was dark and lowering, with occasional 
dashes of rain. Lake Erie lashed itself into fury. Standing 
on the shore, one could see far cut on the Lake a long unbroken 
line of foam-flecked waves rolling on towards the shore, 
which they at length struck, flinging water and spray many 
feet into the air. 
Our time in Cleveland being limited, we were at the Sta- 
tion early in the morning to catch the first train for the 
Fair-grounds, seven o’clock, I think, when the first train 
did not leave till eight o’clock, and at fair times trains are 
not very punctual. However, at last, the gates were opened. 
Passing through a gate at lower end of Station, we found all 
the cars but the last one were nearly filled by those who 
had entered by the upper gates. 
Taking our stand on the platform of the hind car, the 
door of which had not been opened, we waited in some im- 
patience for some one to open the door ; at length the doors 
were unlocked. We congratulated ourselves on our good 
luck, as the hind car was evidently better than the other cars 
of the train. At last the gong gave the signal for the train 
to start, and to our dismay we saw the train move out of the 
depot and our car left behind. But some said the train 
would back down again as soon as they found our car was 
not coupled to the other cars. The train did back down 
again — but alas ! It made the trip to the fair-grounds and 
back in the interim. After nine o’clock we found ourselves 
under way, and with the beautiful Lake in view almost the 
whole distance. We reached the Fair-grounds in due time. 
The Poultry was, for us, the most interesting part of the 
show. We rapidly make our way to the wood in which the 
Hall for Poultry was situated, and some of the finest fowls 
we have ever seen at a fall show. One trio of Buff chicks 
were fit to win anywhere. Further on was a trio of Light 
Brahma chicks that were truly magnificent ; they had been 
sold the day before for $75, to go to Indiana. Another trio of 
Light Brahma chicks were very good. A trio of old Light 
Brahmas, two very large and fine hens, with a good cock, 
except a coarse and somewhat loose comb, comprised the 
Light Brahmas on exhibition. 
Dark Brahmas were even better than the Lights ; a su- 
perb black-breasted cockerel with two beautifully pencilled 
steel-gray pullets filled the winning coop. A trio of fine 
old Darks were also shown. The first premium coop of old 
Bud's contained the first premium Buff hen at Buffalo, 
N. Y. The cock had one of the best combs I have ever- 
seen on a Buff. The Partridge Cochins were better than 
those shown at Columbus, but still not very good. Black 
Cochins were out in greater force, and some very fine birds 
of this color were shown. White Cochins were even 
better than those shown at Columbus. 
All the varieties of Hamburg’s were shown, and were 
mostly good. Some coops of fine Dorkings, fowls and 
chicks. Excellent Sebright Bantams, B. B. B. Game Ban- 
tams, Brown and White Leghorns, a few Games and Domi- 
niques composed the chicken department of the show. All 
of these birds were much above the grade of those shown at 
fall exhibitions, and many were of great excellence. 
Turkeys were in great strength and excellence. Bronze, 
Black, White, Slate, and Buff were all there. Geese in equal 
strength ; Toulouse, Bremen, African, Brown, White, China, 
and a pair of imported Scotch Geese, the only ones of the 
breed I have ever seen, in color mottled-brown and white. 
A pair of Toulouse goslings, of remarkable size and excel- 
lence, were shown by B. H. Peck, Earlville, O. 
All the varieties of Ducks, except Pekin, were shown, and 
all were very good, the Aylesbury magnificent. The coops 
of some of the fowls that had been shown at Columbus the 
previous week were in a wretchedly filthy state. 
Some fine Angora Babbits were shown by C. H. Stone, 
Cleveland; and a number of pairs of choice Pigeons, and 
some Ferrets, the owners of which I do not know. 
The grounds of the Association are very neatly fitted up, 
artificial lake, fountains and deer park, with a number of 
fine bucks, does, and fawns. The buildings are very sub- 
stantial, the show in all departments was very good, the 
display of flowers and plants grand. Vindex. 
Cleveland, Ohio, September, 1874. 
(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
PEDIGREE POULTRY. 
Mr. Editor: 
Permit an old fancier to thank you for your timely re- 
marks on the matter of registering the pedigrees of poultry. 
Let me add a few thoughts on the subject. 
I perfectly agree with you that the important matter is 
to establish a strain noted for its good points. What is it 
to-day that leads every one to inquire, when he comes to 
purchase, as to whose stock the seller offers for sale ? What 
is it that leads almost every advertiser to refer to his strain 
as being Williams’, or Wade’s, or Sharpless’, or Todd’s, or 
