HATCHING OUT AND INCUBATORS. 41 



actually attaining the price of forty-five shillings. 

 Fancy investing in sufficient coops to rear five 

 thousand birds at forty-five shillings each ; would 

 there be any reduction upon taking a quantity, I 

 wonder ? 



The firm of Rothschild are not, I believe, very large 

 rearers of game otherwise they, one would imagine, 

 would be the only possible customers for these fancy 

 articles, a representation of one of which, sent here 

 the other day by some would-be vendor, particularly 

 tickled my fancy. It was of course very elaborate 

 and expensive all over, with openings and extra con- 

 veniences here, there, and everywhere ; a handsome 

 enamelled iron run, beautifully covered over with 

 curled wire, like a mattress, &c. ; but the piece de 

 resistance was the lovely shutter which fitted in front, 

 and was beautified with two large eyelet holes, duly 

 ventilated, and closable by a mechanical arrangement 

 placed high up, right at the top of the movable door, 

 very nice for the old lady inside to have to execute a 

 high jump every time she wanted a peep at the 

 scenery, and so salutary for her poor little chickens as 

 she comes back thump into the thick of them. But 

 it's an ill wind, &c., and fortunately the sight of the 

 portrait of this gorgeous chicken palace has reminded 

 me to warn my readers that, when air holes are made 

 for a hen to use, they should be drilled exactly at the 

 height of her head when standing in the coop or 

 sitting in the boxes, so as not to tempt her to shift 



