22 COCK AND HEN. 



The mother however does not stand idle and see 

 them eat, but desirous of gaining their affection by her 

 tender care, takes up small particles of the food, and 

 one after the other calls them and puts it into their 

 mouths. 



At this time, affection for her young, and the pride 

 she seems to feel as a mother, produces a remarkable 

 change in her character. From being cowardly, and 

 voracious, she becomes courageous, and a very small 

 eater. She will attack any animal, whether it be dog, 

 horse, hawk, or man, which comes too near her brood, 

 and she w T ill eat nothing herself which her chickens 

 can swallow, unless there is enough for all. 



When marching out to take the air, and find food 

 for her little troop, she acts as their guide, and com- 

 mander. Calls them when she finds a morsel fit for 

 their, food, and when she sees a hawk in the air, warns 

 them of their danger by a peculiar note, on hearing 

 which every one seeks a place of safety, and hide* 

 itself from the enemy. 



At night, or in damp w r eather, she gathers them un- 

 der her wings to keep them warm, and by a peculiar 

 and gentle voice, seems to hush them to sleep. 



It has been stated, that the Hen will lay, in the 

 course of the year, about two hundred eggs, which i* 

 twenty times as many as she can hatch, and bring up 

 the chickens. 



Now it seems to be the nature of man, so far as lies 

 in his power, to turn every thing to his own profit, or 

 advantage ; and if chickens could be hatched, arid rear- 

 ed in some artificial manner, they would yield a vastly 

 greater profit than the eggs. Hence men sought out 



