Domestic Animals 135 



biggest one, just a thick skin, 'cause shells are the 

 last part of the egg to be made so they can squeeze 

 together and not take up so much room. When an 

 egg is all made Biddy knows ^about it and climbs 

 into her nest and lays it. She never lays but one a 

 day, and she cackles when she comes off." 



"What does she say? inquired the teacher. 



"Cut-cut-ca-dah-cut'; and it sounds like * Johnny 

 get your hair cut/ Cousin John says. When you go 

 to get the egg it is always warm if the hen has just 

 laid it." 



Miss Clare told them she had read that a good 

 hen will lay about two hundred eggs a year, if she 

 has a good home, a yard to run in, and plenty of 

 food and water. 



"She likes something like hay or straw for a 

 nest," she continued, "though she will often steal 

 away in the summer and make a nest for herself in 

 the grass and bushes. When you see a hen scratch- 

 ing and clucking, and staying on her nest a long 

 time, people call her a "sitting hen," and the farmer 

 gives her or lets her lay for herself a whole nest full 

 of eggs. Then she feels very happy. She sits on 

 them day after day, hardly coming off to eat or 



