THE CALL OF THE HEN. 63 
Fig. 38 shows tying sack around legs so that she cannot move while 
examining her for prepotency. (Cut a little off the corner of thé sack 
—Just enough to get her head through. Hen in Fig. 38 is too far out 
of the sack.) ; 
Fic. 38—Tying sack around legs so hen cannot move while examining her for 
prepotency. This method of holding the bird is only necessary while you are learning. 
If'there is someone to hold the hen for you, it would be quicker. When you become 
skillful, you can hold the bird as in Fig. 43. 
The best way for a beginner to learn how to handle a hen for ‘pre- 
potency is to select a hen you wish for the table. Cut the corner off of 
a gunny sack; hold her as in Fig. 36; put your hen in sack and tie. her, 
as in Figs. 37 and 38; then make a hook of wire or a hair pin, attach it 
to a string with small weight or stone; hang hen up against barn or shed, 
head down, back against building; take long-bladed pocket or other 
knife with sharp point, insert in hen’s mouth, and draw across the roof 
of the mouth at the back of the brain at the junction of the neck, severing 
the blood-veins, then immediately force the knife through the roof of 
the mouth into the brain. The knife should be forced well into the 
brain, which will sever the nerves, and the bird will feel no pain; then 
insert hook in the nostril, and the weight will hold the neck straight. 
The hen should bleed freely. After bleeding has stopped, clean mouth 
and surrounding parts of blood, and place hen in some convenient place— 
on a box or coop. The thumb-nail on the left hand and nail on the 
forefinger of the right hand should be longer than the thumb and finger, 
so the flesh on end of thumb and finger will not prevent the nail from 
entering the slight depression between the skull and neck. 
We will suppose the reader has handled the hen as suggested above. 
Lay the dead hen as in Fig. 39; take hold of comb or head and pull neck 
up with right hand, and while holding head up the neck will be stretched 
out. Turn the head down with right hand, so the back of the head 
will point up and beak will point down as much as possible. This will 
make the projection of the brain (arrow 1, Fig. 35) appear more promi- 
nent, so it will be easier to locate it; then draw ball of thumb of left hand 
