136 



THE CALL OF THE HEN. 



countries, that there was no known method other than the 

 slow and costly one of trap-nesting of selecting birds of great 

 egg-producing capacity. Trap-nesting, in addition to the 

 faults mentioned, which makes it almost impracticable for 

 the farmer, had a still more serious one in the writer's judg- 

 ment; it could not trap-nest roosters, which I have found to 

 be more than "half the flock." For this seemingly insur- 

 mountable difficulty I have found an easy solution, and can 

 as readily identify the male as the female, and as unerringly. 



CUT No. 2 This is a hen of minimum development, 

 a fair layer. 



She is 



The facts of which this document treat are a discovery, a 

 method, and a development all in one. The happy inspira- 

 tion and discovery came within a few hours ; but it has reached 

 this workable and absolutely reliable form by a costly ana- 

 lytical and experimental process extending through years. 

 After the underlying principle had been found, it had to be 

 tested and proved to my own satisfaction Then the various 



