CHANTICLEER 223 



bird-life was also represented by fifteen fowls, and 

 the wise laxity existing in the establishment made 

 these also free of the grounds; for of eyesores 

 and painful skeletons in London cupboards, one 

 of the worst, to my mind, is that unwholesome 

 coop at the back where a dozen unhappy birds 

 are usually to be found immured for hfe. These, 

 more fortunate, had ample room to run about in, 

 and countless broad shady leaves from which to 

 pick the green caterpillar, and red tortoise-shaped 

 lady-bird, and parti-coloured fly, and soft warm 

 soil in which to bathe in their own gallinaceous 

 fashion, and to lie with outstretched wings luxuri- 

 ating by the hour in the genial sunshine. And 

 having seen their free wholesome life, I did not 

 regard the new-laid egg on the breakfast-table 

 with a feeling of repugnance, but ate it with a 

 relish. 



I have said that the fowls numbered fifteen; 

 five were old birds, and ten were chickens, closely 

 alike in size, colour and general appearance. 

 They were not the true offspring of the hen that 

 reared them, but hatched from eggs bought from 

 a local poultry-breeder. As they advanced in age 

 to their teens, or the period in chicken-life corre- 



