

158 THE POULTRY-BOOK. 



of an inch, though they had stood above the brim when taken 

 from the damp room : the weights were the following : 



oz. dr. gr. 



Wheat, 18 1 54 



Rye, 18 1 18 



Indian corn, . . . . . . 16 3 18 



Buckwheat, 15 7 36 



Barley, 12 6 6 



Oats, 9 5 12 



By these tables it is shown that buckwheat is considerably 

 heavier than barley or oats ; yet a fowl will require as much, 

 by measure, of buckwheat daily, to satisfy it, as of any of the 

 other two sorts of grain. It is possible that this anomaly may 

 be accounted for on the ground of peculiarity in taste. It is 

 certain that one sort of grain is often more palatable than an- 

 other, and that fowls eat voraciously more than might suffice 

 them in such a case. In order to determine this matter, M. 

 Reaumur caused a partition to be made in the feeding-box, by 

 which it was divided into two equal compartments, into one of 

 which he put a measure of wheat, and into the other a measure 

 of rye. Three hens and one cock were put to feed upon these, 

 and did not show any preference to either of the sorts of grain, 

 as there remained, after their first morning's repast, about an 

 equal quantity of wheat and rye ; while, in the course of the 

 day, they finished what they had left, emptying the two com- 

 partments almost at the same time. 



Experiments of this kind, which ought to be repeated with 

 all the sorts of food given to poultry, are important, as furnish- 

 ing criteria by which to determine what sort of food is most 

 agreeable to fowls. This is of consequence to be ascertained, 

 because, as a general rule, what is most relished in eating 

 agrees with the animal best, and is most easily digested. With 



