SHELTERING OF THE YOUNG. 



159 



Improved Artificial Mother. 



growth. Another was the dividing the large cribs 

 into two by means of a transverse partition, so as 

 to separate the chickens of different sizes. 



" They soon showed me," says Reaumur, " how 

 sensible they were of the advantage of my artificial 

 mother, by their delight in remaining under it and 

 pressing it very close. When they had taken their 

 little meals they jumped and capered about, and 

 when they began to be tired they repaired to this 

 mother, going so deep into it that they were com- 

 pelled to squat, so that, when the roof was turned 

 up, I perceived the impression of the backs of sev- 

 eral chickens upon the fur lining. There is, indeed, 

 no natural mother that can be so good for the 

 chickens as the artificial one, and they are not long 

 in discovering this, instinct being a quick and sure 

 director. Chickens, direct from the hatching oven, 

 from twelve to twenty-four hours after their escape 

 from the shell, will begin to pick up and swallow 

 .small grains or crumbs of bread ; and, after having 

 eaten and walked about a little, they soon find their 

 way to the fleecy lodge, where they can rest and 

 warm themselves, remaining till hunger puts them 



