THE STOMACH. 61 



old enough to live entirely on grain, and therefore 

 requires the assistance of a gizzard, the little chick, 

 on emerging from its shell, for a short time lives on 

 soft food, and requires no such aid. As it advances 

 in age, however, the pellicle gradually thickens, till 

 at last, by pressure and rubbing, it becomes a hard 

 and grinding membrane. 



From the different construction and digestive 

 powers of the stomachs of birds, it must be evident 

 that some are able to continue a much longer time 

 without food than others. An Eagle has been known 

 to fast for three weeks ; those who had the charge 

 of it having forgotten to provide its usual supply of 

 food. It soon however recovered its strength, and 

 did not appear to suffer from its extraordinary ab- 

 stinence. How long other birds can sustain hunger 

 we can have few opportunities of learning, but pro- 

 bably it will be found that such as are most likely 

 from their habits and particular sort of food, to be 

 more exposed to a precarious and doubtful supply, 

 are, generally speaking, best provided against the 

 chance of suffering. But this is not always the case, 

 for Geese and Fowls, which are rarely without the 

 means of supplying themselves, have been known to 

 remain a surprising length of time in a fasting state. 

 A favourite Hen, which had been missed for upwards 

 of four weeks, was fortunately found at the bottom 

 of a deep well by a person who went down to repair 

 it: the poor bird, when discovered, was perched on 

 a small piece of timber floating on the water, and 

 when taken up was in a very exhausted state, but 

 soon recovered. 



A Goose was accidentally shut up in a shed, and 



