32 



THE CALL OF THE HEN. 



Fig. 4. Note how the right arm is held in Fig. 4. This is not the 

 right way, but it is the way most persons hold the left arm when they 

 receive their first lesson. Now, note how the left arm is held; this is 

 the right position, and it is difficult for me to teach students to hold 

 their arms this way. I have to drill them repeatedly before they will 

 do so. The hand which holds the hen by the legs should be at the 

 height of the hip; this enables you to use the other hand in examining 

 the hen for capacity with greater speed and accuracy. 



Fig. 5 shows how the writer holds a bird to ascertain its capacity 

 by holding it this way.' After long practice, he is enabled to inspect 

 one in a few seconds by having three parties to hand him the birds 

 and to take them from him. A small, light hen or pullet is best to prac- 

 tice with. 



FIG. 5 Showing how a hen may be held while testing capacity. 



Fig. 6 shows where the head of the bird should be. You will note 

 that her eyes are covered up so she can't see, and that has a tendency 

 to keep her quiet while you examine her. 



Fig. 7 gives an example of testing the capacity of a hen. The hand 

 is placed on the abdomen between the two pelvic bones and the rear 

 of the breast-bone; the left hand holding the legs is turned under enough 

 to bring the thighs away from the point of the breast-bone, so that the 

 thighs will not interfere with measuring the depth of the abdomen. 

 The depth of the abdomen will vary with different hens; some will be 

 one finger (a finger means the width of a finger the widest way; I have 

 called it three-fourths of an inch) between the two pelvic bones (some- 

 times called "lay" bones or "vent" bones) and the rear of the breast- 

 bone. Some hens will be two fingers between the two pelvic^bones and 



