THE DOMESTIC COCK. 61 



full of health, strength, and activity. Soon after they 

 are freed from the shell they are carefully fed, and 

 tended for two or three days ; they may then be seen 

 running about .the apartment ; and proper means being 

 used, they neither require nor feel the want of maternal 

 care. There appears no difficulty in teaching the young 

 birds adapted to the use of man, to eat and drink ; they 

 perform these operations spontaneously, from observa- 

 tion, or as prompted by appetite. Sickly and badly 

 hatched birds can seldom be induced to eat, and die in 

 consequence. 



In this exhibition the whole process of incubation 

 may be minutely observed : the eggs being broken at 

 different points of it, and exposed to view. From one 

 part of the machine an egg may be taken, which, if held 

 to the ear, proves that the little tenant is labouring for 

 its extrication, making a circular fracture of the shell 

 w^ith its bill, and bursting its covering by strong mus- 

 cular effort ; while not far off another may be observed 

 that has just succeeded in its arduous labours. Nor 

 should we fail to notice a pleasing instance of that wis- 

 dom* and goodness which are so apparent in animate as 

 well as inanimate nature. The chick in the egg is not 

 liberated, as some suppose, by the aid of the parent- 

 bird ; and as its tender beak would be too feeble for the 



