COCK AND HEN. 23 



and invented a way of hatching chickens without 

 Hens, and thus by an unnatural method, of producing 

 immense broods without mothers. 



The invention of hatching chickens by artificial heat, 

 appears to have been made in Egypt, in which coun- 

 try it has long been practised, and is still carried on as 

 a trade. Men who follow this business, go about seek- 

 ing employment, by offering to take charge of the 

 ovens in which chickens are hatched. 



These ovens, according to Mr. Bingley, are of dif- 

 ferent sizes, but large enough to contain from forty to 

 eighty thousand eggs each. They are of very simple 

 construction, consisting only of low arched apartments 

 of clay. In these apartments are two rows of shelves 

 on which the eggs are laid, care being taken that they 

 should not touch each other. Each egg is slightly 

 moved, five or six times every day. During the first 

 eight days, a considerable degree of heat is kept up, 

 but after this time, the warmth is gradually diminished, 

 until at the period when the eggs are about to be 

 hatched, the fire is entirely put out, the air in that 

 country being sufficiently warm for the comfort and 

 health of the brood. After they are hatched, the chick- 

 ens require very little care besides feeding, the 4 heat 

 in that country being so great, as not to make it ne- 

 cessary to brood, or cover them, even in the night. 



The Cock never sleeps so soundly as not to be eas- 

 ily awakened. His great watchfulness is known by 

 his crowing in the night, and particularly towards 

 morning, to let us know that the day dawns, and that 

 the sun is rising to enlighten the earth. 



To the crowing of this bird towards morning our 



