28 BIRDS' NESTS. 



most probable that several hens will choose to 

 lay their eggs with it. Thus they seem not tc 

 know when their laying begins ; for when 

 hen sees an egg in a snug corner of the barr 

 she never seems to doubt that it is her own, 

 and when she comes back next day, does not 

 notice whether some neighbour hen has added 

 another, or whether her master has taken away 

 all but the nest-egg. When the time for sitting 

 is come, she has no idea of reckoning ho\ 

 many chickens she is likely to hatch, but takes 

 her place, and sits as comfortably on a round 

 lump of chalk, as she would on a whole nest of 

 real eggs. It often happens that other hens 

 come and lay where she is sitting, and it some- 

 times occurs that a second hen takes it into 

 her head that she would like to sit in the same 

 place. Then there is a fight for the nest, and 

 the strongest wins it. You see, then, that hens 

 do not know the number of their own eggs ; 

 so there can be no cruelty in taking them 

 away. Nor do they mind being disturbed 



