The Wasp — 1894 — page 516: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes "Boss Hyde" through avian metaphor. The notice posted in the yard warns "old hens of seventy" against scratching—a reference to elderly political figures engaging in backroom maneuvering. Multiple birds wear name-tags including "Brodie," "Susie," and others, depicted as quarrelsome fowl fighting and scratching in a yard. The central figure wearing a "Brodie" band appears to be the main subject of mockery. The caption "SHOO!" and the subtitle referencing "his recent official declaration of hostility to seventy-ites" (page 4) indicate this attacks Boss Hyde's political disputes with aging political opponents or allies. The barnyard chaos suggests incompetence and disorder in local politics, using animal caricature as common period satirical technique. The specific political conflict remains unclear without additional context.