24 THE CALL OF THE HEN. 
Fig. 4. Note how the right arm is held in Fig. 4. This is not the 
right way, but it is the way most persons hold the left arm when they 
receive their first lesson. Now, note how the left arm is held; this is 
the right position, and it is difficult for me to teach students to hold 
their arms this way. I have to drill them repeatedly before they will 
do so. The hand which holds the hen by the legs should be at the 
height of the hip; this enables you to use the other hand in examining 
the hen for capacity with greater speed and accuracy. : 
Fig. 5 shows how the writer holds a bird to ascertain its capacity 
by holding it this way. After long practice, he is enabled to inspect 
one in a few seconds by having three parties to hand him the birds 
and to take them from him. A small, light hen or pullet is best to prac- 
tice with. 
Fic. 5—Showing how a hen may be held while testing capacity. 
Fig. 6 shows where the head of the bird should be. You will note 
that her eyes are covered up so she can’t see, and that has a tendency 
to keep her quiet while you examine her. 
Fig. 7 gives an example of testing the capacity of a hen. The hand 
is placed on the abdomen between the two pelvic bones and the rear 
of the breast-bone; the left hand holding the legs is turned under enough 
to bring the thighs away from the point of the breast-bone, so that the 
thighs will not interfere with measuring the depth of the abdomen. 
The depth of the abdomen will vary with different hens; some will be 
one finger (a finger means the width of a finger the widest way; I have 
called it three-fourths of an inch) between the two pelvic bones (some- 
times called ‘‘lay’”’ bones or ‘‘vent’’ bones) and the rear of the breast- 
bone. Some hens will be two fingers between the two pelvic bones and 
