SHELTERING OF THE YOUNG. 



185 



ciples, consists of a box lined with sheep-skin, with 

 the wool on it, the bottom being of a square form, 

 and the upper part sloped like a writing-desk. This 

 box is placed at the end of a crib or cage, shut with 

 a grating of willow, net, or wire, and closed above 

 with a hinged lid, the whole being so formed that the 

 chickens can walk round the sides. The slope of the 

 cover permits the chickens to arrange themselves 

 according to their sizes ; but as it is their practice, as 

 well as that of all other young birds, to press very 

 closely together, and even to climb upon one another, 

 the small and the weak being thereby in danger of 

 being crushed or smothered, Reaumur constructed his 

 artificial mother open at both ends, or, at most, with 

 only a loose netting hanging over it. Through this 

 the weakest chicken can escape when it feels itself 

 too much squeezed, and then, by going round to the 

 other opening, it may find a less dangerous neighbour- 

 hood. The ingenious author even made improvements 

 upon this contrivance, one of which consisted in keep- 

 ing the cover sloped so low as to prevent the chickens 

 from climbing on each other, and raising it as they 

 increased in growth. Another was, the dividing the 



Improved Artificial Mother. 



