THE CALL OF THE HEN. 45 



one finger in depth of abdomen; two fingers out of condition shows she 

 has shrunken two fingers in depth of abdomen, three fingers out of 

 condition shows she has shrunken three fingers in depth of abdomen. 



FIG. 20 Showing hen one finger out of condition. You will note that the flesh 

 appears slightly shrunken away from the breast-bone. When the thumb and forefinger 

 are placed as in the cut, about ^ inch from the front of the breast-bone, the flesh will be 

 below the breast-bone, as shown by the mark on finger in Fig. 23. This would indicate 

 that the hen was one finger less capacity. If three-fingers now, she would be four fingers 

 capacity when in condition, etc. 



Fig. 21 is still thinner, as reader can see by the breast-bone. We 

 call her two fingers out of condition. 



FIG. 21 Showing hen two fingers out of condition. The flesh is shrunken away 

 from the breast-bone to about the depth indicated by the middle line on the finger in 

 Fig. 23, which is about the middle of the first joint. This shows that she is two fingers 

 less in abdominal depth than when in good condition. 



Fig. 22 is still thinner. This we call three fingers out of condition) 

 and is about as thin as a hen usually gets, if there is any chance for her 

 ever being of any use. 



