320 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I9IO. 



tained, and to fill the deficiency cocks were used. These proved 

 more satisfactory than the hens but were not so quiet and docile 

 as the capons which seem to possess but one idea and that is to 

 eat. For the next season an ample supply of capons was secured 

 for all of the work. 



For the accommodation of the birds two convenient rooms 

 were provided, one being fitted with perches in the usual man- 

 ner where they were kept during- the resting periods and the 

 other was furnished with tables on which the cages were kept. 

 The cages in which the birds were confined during the experi- 

 ment were made of boards for sides, top and bottom, with slats 

 for the back and front. The bottoms were made tight, of 

 matched lumber with base board across the slats to prevent any- 

 thing being thrown out. The size of the cages was about two 

 feet each way. For feeding and drinking dishes two pint dip- 

 pers with handles were used for each cage. To hold the dip- 

 per in position the handle was passed through a slot in the side 

 of the cage about 8 inches from the bottom and was held in 

 place by a flat wedge outside. These dishes worked very satis- 

 factorily and it was very seldom that any food was spilled from 

 them. The time of the experiments was 12 to 14 days, being 

 divided into two periods, a preliminary period of 5 to 7 days, 

 when the amount the bird would eat was determined and the 

 alimentary canal freed from other food, and a collection period, 

 when the bags were put on and the feces collected. Clean shav- 

 ings free from any material the birds would eat, were put in 

 the bottom of the cages for the preliminary period, but during 

 the collection period the bottom was kept clean in order to detect 

 any loss of food or feces. No records of the weight of water 

 drank was kept as it was known that the birds every time they 

 idip their bills spill quite a portion of what they take up, there- 

 fore it would be impossible to tell how much was swallowed. 

 A liberal amount of grit was supplied them at all times. 



The feeding was done regularly at fixed hours morning and 

 evening, and the feces collected at the same time, put in glass 

 jars, and kept covered with alcohol to prevent fermentation. At 

 the end of the collection period the feces were taken to the lab- 

 oratory, the alcohol evaporated on the steam bath, then dried at 

 60 degrees C. to air dry condition. 



