92 FARMIXG FOR LADIES. [chap. iv.. 



The hen has within her body a womb — 

 learnedly termed by anatomists " the ovary," 

 or ovarium, from ova, the Latin for an egg — 

 in which, preparatory to her laying, are con- 

 tained clusters of little pellets of various sizes, 

 from that of a pin's head to a pea ; accord- 

 ing, it must be presumed, to the severax 

 stages of their growth after being generated. 

 These pellets constitute the germ, or bud, of 

 the future egg, which is gradually formed, 

 and, when nearly old enough to be layed, falls 

 into a kind of pipe, or funnel, called the 

 " Oviduct," where it is perfected within a few 

 hours, and from which it is finally expelled in 

 its perfect state. 



^^^len the impulse of nature urges the hen 

 to laij, she evinces her desire by searching 

 into corners, scraping up straws, as if in- 

 tending to build a nest, and uttering a faint, 

 peculiar kind of cry, or chirp, something 

 like the well-known sound of " cluckint,," 

 with which she calls her chickens. When 

 this is observed, a nest of straw should be 

 made in one of the boxes, and a hard-boiled 

 egg (in order to prevent its being broken) 

 should be laid in the nest, as an inducement 



