THE DOMESTIC COCK. 57 



the maternal qualities of the hen entitle her to a dis- 

 tinguished place. 



The following is an interesting story from the pen of 

 a lady. " I had once a favourite black hen, ' a great 

 beauty,' she was called by every one, and so I thought 

 her; her feathers jetty, and her topping so white and 

 full I She knew my voice as well as any dog, and used 

 to run cackling and bustling to my hand to receive the 

 crumbs that I never failed to collect from the breakfast- 

 table for ' Yarico ' — so she was called. Yarico, when 

 about a year old, brought forth a respectable family of 

 chickens — little, cowering, timid things at first, but, in 

 due time, they became fine chubby ones ; and old Noma, 

 the hen-wife, said, ' If I could only keep Yarico out of 

 the copse, it would do ; but it is full of weasels, and, I 

 am sure, of foxes too. I have driven her back twenty 

 times, but she watches till some one goes out of the 

 gate, and then she 's off again : it 's always the way 

 with young hens. Miss ; they think they know better 

 than their keepers, and nothing cures them but losing a 

 brood or two of chickens.' I have often thought since, 

 that young people, as well as young hens, buy their 

 experience equally dear. 



" One morning I went v/ith my crumbs to seek out 



