3® 



POULTRY KIND. 



The hen feldom clurches a brood of chicken above once" a feafon. 

 Will lay in a year above two hundred eggs, provided fhe be well fed and 

 fupplied with water and liberty. Her neft is merely a hole fcratched in- 

 to the ground among a few bufhes. 



If left to herfelf, the hen would feldom lay above twenty eggs, with- 

 out attempting to hatch: but while her eggs are removed, fhe continues 

 to layl In the wild ftate, the hen feldom lays above fifteen eggs. No- 

 thing can exceed the perfeverance and patience of the fir.ting hen; (he 

 continues for fome days immoveable, forgetting even food ; yet does 

 not know her own eggs, or brood, but rears ducklings, even though 

 they be water-fowl. She carefully turns her eggs, and removes them to 

 different fituations; in about three weeks, the young give figns of a 

 dcfire to burft their confinement. When, by the repeated efforts of their 

 bills, they have broke the fhell, fhe continues fitting till all are ex- 

 cluded ; then leads them forth to provide for themfelves : abftains 

 from all food that they can fwallow; flies boldly at every invader, and 

 even fometimes furprifes birds of prey into flight by unexpefted refiftance; 

 afts the com.mander, and by variety of notes calls her train to their food, or 

 warns them of approaching danger. 



Ten or twelve chicken are the greateft number a good hen can rear 

 and clutch; but by the artificial method of hatching chicken in (loves, 

 as is pradifed at Grand Cairo, they produce thoufands. In our colder 

 climate, the little animal may equally be hatched, but few reach maturity. 



A capon may eafily be taught to clutch chicken by gradually intro- 

 ducing them to his acquaintance. 



Chymifts fay, the produ6ts of the flefh of a cock and a capon are not 

 alike; capons do not moult, nor crow diftindly ; but eat, fleep, and 

 fatten. 



An experiment has been tried on young cocks, by grafting a fpur into 

 their comb, which has taken root and grown to the length of two inches 

 and a half, affuming the appearance of a horn. 



The fpecies is fpread throughout the world; was introduced into 

 America from Europe. Some are tufted, their comb is ufually fmall. 

 The Madagafcar cock is extremely fmall, the eggs very diminutive, fince 

 the hen often hatches thirty. The Java and Bantam breeds are very 

 fmall. Some are fo fhort-legged their wings trail on the ground. The 

 frizzled breed, whofe feathers iland up, are fuppofed to be natives of Afia. 

 The Padua cock is extremely large, and has a double comb and a creft. 



THE 



