THE CALL OF THE HEN. 67 
take it for. granted that the reader has no method of selecting the good 
from the poor layers, except, perhaps, the ‘‘Walter Hogan System”’ or 
some of its pirated forms:that are now used extensively in all parts of 
the civilized world, and which is based on the theory that the value of 
ajhen as an egg-producer depends on the relative distance apart of her 
pelvic bones and the thinness of same. We will suppose the reader has 
300 hens; one lot are about a year and four months old, another lot are 
about two years and four months old, and another lot are about three 
years and four months old. Each lot has been kept in separate yards, 
so there can be no mistake in regard to their ages, or they have been 
toe-punched or otherwise marked. We notice more or less feathers 
lying around the yard, thus indicating the season of the year when 
moulting is near at hand. Everything else being equal, the poorest hen 
moults first, and if she is a very poor layer, she will stop laying when 
she begins to moult and will not lay again until the crows lay in the 
spring. We consider it is about time to cull out the poor layers and send 
them to market. 
Fic. 42—Showing thumb 4 of an inch behind forefinger; indicating hen has pre- 
potency large. (See Skull No. 1, Fig. 35.) 
