AVES — COCK. 591 



makes for this season of patient expectation. Nature, almost exhausted by 

 its own fecundity, seems to inform lier of the proper time for hatching, 

 which she herself testifies by a clucking note, and by discontinuing to lay. 

 If left entirely to herself, the hen would seldom lay above twenty eggs in 

 the same nest, without attempting to hatch them. While she sits, she 

 carefully turns her eggs, and even removes them to different situations ; till 

 at length, in about three weeks, the young brood begin to give signs of a de- 

 sire to burst their confinement. 



The formation of the embryo is curious. During the first day's incubation, 

 and even when the egg has been under the hen a few hours, the head of the 

 chicken may be seen gradually uniting itself to the spine of the back. On 

 the second day the first process of the vertebra; may be discerned, like so 

 many small globules disposed on each side of the spine. The first com- 

 mencement of the wings and the umbilical vessels may also be distinguish- 

 ed by their dark color. The neck and breast also show themselves, and the 

 head continues to increase in size. The third day, the whole is more distinct 

 and enlarged ; and the heart, which is suspended at the opening of the 

 breast, is observed to beat ; veins and arteries may also be perceived about 

 the brains, and the spinal marrow begins to extend itself through the spine. 

 The eyes are considerably formed on the fourth day. The pupil and the 

 crystalline and vitreous humors may be distinctly seen. The wings increase, 

 the thighs appear, and the whole body begins in some degree to be covered 

 with flesh. The fifth day, the body is covered with a glutinous, or unctuous 

 flesh, the heart is retained wathin a very fine membrane, which also extends 

 itself all over the breast. The sixth day, the spinal marrow, in two divisions, 

 continues to advance along the trunk ; the liver, which at first was whitish, 

 becomes of a darker hue ; both ventricles of the heart beat, and the body of 

 the chicken is covered with skin, in which may be already discerned the 

 points of the feathers. The beak may be discovered on the seventh day, and 

 the brain, the wangs, the thighs and even the feet, have acquired a perfect 

 form. The lungs appear at the end of the ninth day; their color is whitish. 

 On the tenth, the muscles of the wings begin to form, the feathers continue 

 to shoot out. It is not till the eleventh day that the arteries, which before 

 were separate, unite to the heart. The rest of the process consists only in 

 an increase and more perfect development of the several parts, till they 

 acquire sufficient vigor to break the shell. 



The strongest and best chickens generally are the first candidates for 

 liberty; the weakest come behind, and some even die in the shell. When 

 all are produced, the hen leads them forth to provide for themselves. Her 

 affection and her pride seem then to alter her very nature, and correct her 

 imperfections. No longer voracious or cowardly, she abstains from all food 

 that her young can swallow, and flies boldly at every creature that she thinks 

 is likely to do them mischief. 



Ten or twelve chickens are the greatest number that a good hen can rear 



