THE POULTRY-YARD. 269 



living in a state of freedom, it would be very 

 difficult to explain the origin of this habit. Not 

 only are there still many of the original wild 

 stock i^Gallus bankiva) from which our domestic 

 fowls have sprung living in the Indian jungles, 

 but in many parts of the world feral or half-wild 

 birds may be found which have enjoyed almost 

 complete freedom for many generations. Mr 

 Hudson, in his ' Naturalist in La Plata,' discusses 

 this cackling question with his usual ability, and 

 states that in the " creolla " fowls, which live a 

 semi-independent life in South America, the habit 

 displays itself in such a manner as to prove of 

 undoubted value. He says : — 



Each family occupies its own feeding-ground, where 

 it would pass a greater portion of each day. The hen 

 would nest at a considerable distance from the feeding- 

 ground, sometimes as far as 400 or 500 yards away. 

 After laying an egg she would quit the nest, not 

 walking from it as other fowls do, but flying, the flight 

 extending to a distance of from 15 to about 50 yards ; 

 after which, still keeping silence, she would run or walk, 

 until, arrived at the feeding-ground, she would begin to 

 cackle. At once the cock, if within hearing, would 

 utter a responsive cackle, whereupon she would run 

 to him and cackle no more. Frequently the cackling 

 call-note would not be uttered more than two or three 



