34 The Buck. 



shut up two hens with a cock ; these three 

 individuals hved for some time in the strict- 

 est harmony : on a sudden, the hens took 

 a dislike to the cock, and they both together 

 attacked him, and succeeded in the course 

 of five or six days' ill treatment, in kilHng 

 him. Surprized at such extraordinary con- 

 duct, Reaumur was curious to know the 

 cause. He gave the two hens successive- 

 ly several cocks. The^r fury kindled anew 

 against each of them, and they would all 

 have experienced the fate of the first, had 

 he left them long enough to lose all their 

 blood and strength. The extraordinary part 

 of this case was, first, that the cocks de- 

 stroyed were strong and bold, and would 

 easily have governed thirty rebel hens, at 

 large, yet cooped up, did not attempt ei- 

 ther to defend themselves, or even to avoid 

 the attacks of the furies, their wives. Se- 

 condly, the two hens, being released from 

 confinement, became immediately as mild 

 and submissive to the cock, as any upon 

 the dunghill, 



Of the kind and social nature of tlie duck, 



