INCUBATION 37 



the construction of their nests the admirable re- 

 sourcefulness shown by most wild birds. Here 

 might be repeated the saying, as true for man as for 

 beast, necessity is the mother of invention. Sure 

 of finding, when the time comes for laying, the bas- 

 ket stuffed with hay by the hand of the housewife, 

 the domestic fowl does not trouble herself to build 

 a nest, an undertaking in which the tiniest bird of 

 the fields shows itself a consummate architect. At 

 the most, when her adventurous disposition makes 

 her prefer the perilous shelter of the hedge to the 

 safe retreat of the poultry-yard, the hen, gleaning 

 with her beak a few straws and leaves, and plucking, 

 if need be, some of her own feathers, succeeds in 

 making, for her period of brooding, a disordered 

 heap rather than a nest. There, every day, unknown 

 to all, she goes and lays her egg. Then for three 

 whole weeks she is not to be seen, or only at intervals. 

 That is the time of incubation. At last, some fine 

 day, she reappears, very proud, at the head of a fam- 

 ily of young chickens, peeping and pecking around 

 her/' 



"I should like," said Emile, "to have some hens 

 that set like that in the fields and then come home 

 again some day with their family of little chickens." 



"I must admit it is a sight worthy of interest, that 

 of a hen that has stolen her nest returning to the 

 farmhouse at the head of her newly hatched young 

 chickens. Her eyes shine with satisfaction; her 

 clucking has something joyful about it. 'Look/ she 

 seems to say to those who welcome her, 'see how 



