46 DELIVERY OF ITSELF HATCHING. 



the egg may be, the head of the chicken is supported 

 either by the body or by the wing, or by both united : 

 in fine, the force of the blows against the shell by the 

 beak, is powerful in proportion to the bulk of the head. 

 The mother's affection for her brood is always observed 

 to be intensely increased, when she first hears the 

 voice of the chicks, through the shells, and the strokes 

 of their little bills against them. 



As to the foregoing topic, form and position of the 

 chick in the shell, we made our observations thereon, 

 De Reaumur s book in hand, during our experiments 

 in Surrey, whilst hatching with artificial heat. For 

 further instructions on this subject, a scientific and 

 curious one, those readers who require it, are referred 

 to a most ingenious Essay of William Yarrell, Esq., in 

 the Zoological Journal, No. 8, Jan. 1826. Zoologists 

 are also obliged to the same learned gentleman for 

 notice of the Caueseme, a species of duck, new to 

 the British Fauna, p. 492, sq. " A male of this beau- 

 tiful species was shot near Boston, while feeding on 

 fresh water, in company with some widgeons, and sent 

 to the London market, on the 21st January, from 

 whence it was purchased for preservation. Though 

 a well known European species, it has not hitherto 

 been recorded to have been killed in England ; as new, 

 therefore, to the catalogue of British ducks, a short 

 description may be acceptable :" to which the reader 

 is referred. 



All chickens do not dispatch the important task 

 in equal time. Some are able to disencumber them- 

 selves o^the shell, in the course of an hour from the 

 commencement of the operation ; others take two or 



