y 



lOG Artificial Mother. 



described by Buffon, namely, ])liicking the 

 featliers from the breast, and repeatedly 

 irritating the skin with nettles, in order that 

 the pain may impel the bird to take chick- 

 ens to the part by way of alleviation, is 

 equally futile and unnecessary as it is bar- 

 barous ; and indeed more probable to en- 

 rage him, and endanger the brood. It is 

 said, feeding the chicks a few times witii 

 the capon, attaches it to them ; that some 

 capons will brood them almost immediatel}^ 

 others can never be induced to it by any 

 means. In the mean time an artificial 

 MOTHER cannot be dispensed vvitli, under 

 which the chickens may brood and shelter. 



We made choice of a box^, the sides of 

 which we covered with lamb's skin dressed 

 witli the wool on, the lid being covered 

 w^ith the same, placed and confined sloping 

 within the box, so that one extremity reach- 

 ed nearly to the bottom, the other gradual- 

 ly ascending : the smallest chicks, by pene- 

 trating to the farther end could nestle their 

 heads and shoulders in the wool, and those 

 which were taller would find the same con- 



