T'7'92. on the instinct of ammnls. 89 



exertion that the timid ewe never is capnble of in her 

 own defence. In a ftiort time, however, the lamb is 

 lost in the flock, and the mother soon knows it no 

 more. 



The love of children, and the consequent exertions 

 for their preservation, seems to be so intimately connect- 

 ed with the finer feelings of the human mind, that we 

 can scarcely divest ourselves of the idea that thofe ani- 

 mals which discover a very strong attachment for their 

 young are of a superior cast, in point of understand- 

 ing, to others. But this conjecture seems to be ill 

 founded. The common hen is one of the most stupid, 

 and in consequence of that stupidity, one of the most 

 indocile animals we know. She can be taught to 

 come upon a call, in hopes of getting food, and this 

 seems to be the utmost stretch of her docility. She is 

 not only a stupid, but a timid animal in general ; but 

 when file has her young brood to take care of, (lie be- 

 comes furious in their defence ; no danger will alarm 

 her, nor can any force make her abandon her young : 

 If they are dispersed, flie flies around them like a fury, 

 endeavouring to collect them, and drive off the annoy- 

 ing objects ; fhe may be hurt, flie may be maimed, (he 

 may be driven off for a moment, but will not abandon 

 them ; flie always returns to the charge, nor can (he, 

 while in life, be made to desert them. If her brood 

 be under her wings, (he will sit quietly on some occasions, 

 and suffer any distrefs rather than subjxt her young 

 fry to insult. I once saw a hen, in this situation, at- 

 tacked by another brood mother, that had sat quietly 

 above her young till the other had deliberately picked 

 a hole throuijh her flcull, into the very brain. Yet this 

 VOL. vii. t ^'^ 



