CHAP. VI.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 147 



the fowl eats as much of the former as of the 

 latter. Whether this arises from partiality 

 for it engaging the animal to eat more than 

 nature seems to require, M, Reaumur could 

 not ascertain ; for although wheat appears to 

 flatter the appetite more than any other grain, 

 yet on putting up three hens and a cock, and 

 giving them an equal quantity of hoth wheat 

 and rye, more than sufficient for their daily 

 consumption, they nearly finished both toge- 

 ther ; thus not evincing any real preference, 

 though in other experiments upon wheat and 

 rye separately, they were satisfied with little 

 more than half the weight of wheat. There 

 appeared, indeed, to be as great difference of 

 taste among the fowls as among ourselves ; 

 for Indian corn, buckwheat, and barley hav- 

 ing been indiscriminately placed for many days 

 before several fowls, some preferred one spe- 

 cies, others a different sort, and many did 

 not show any particular preference ; the greater 

 part, however, seemed to prefer Indian corn 

 and buckwheat, and to have a less likins for 

 rye than for any other kind of corn. 



Buchvheat, or hrank, is said by Moubray 

 to be "an unsubstantial food;" but in the 



L 2 



