BIRDS. 17 



Hatching of chickens. 



see her giving herself greater freedom, and quit- 

 ting her care for above two hours together ; but 

 in winter, when the rigor of the season would 

 chill the principles of life, and destroy the young 

 ones, she grows more assiduous in her attend- 

 ance, and stays away but half the time. When 

 the birth approaches, with how much nicety and 

 attention does she help the chick to break its 

 prison! Not to take notice of her covering it 

 from the injuries of the weather, providing it 

 proper nourishment, and teaching it to help 

 itself; nor to mention her forsaking the nest, if 

 after the usual time of reckoning, the young ones 

 do not make their appearance. A chymical ope- 

 ration could not be followed with greater art or 

 diligence, than is seen in the hatching of a 

 chick. 



" But at the same time the hen, that has all 

 this seeming ingenuity, which is indeed abso- 

 lutely necessary for the propagation of the spe- 

 cies; considered in other respects, is without the 

 least glimmerings of thought or common sense. 

 She mistakes a piece of chalk for an egg, and 

 sits upon it in the same manner ; she is insensi- 

 ble of any increase or diminution in the number 

 of those she lays; she does not distinguish be- 

 tween those of another species; and when the 

 birth appears of never so different a bird, she 

 will cherish it for her own. In all these circum- 

 stances, which do not carry an immediate regard 



VOL. II. NO. XVI. C 



