PHEASANT. 171 



To descant on the manners of our Common Cocks and Hens in 

 England, would be needless, as every good housewife finds herself 

 equal to the task of raising chickens under Hens ; but it is, perhaps, 

 not so generally known, that in the warm regions they are hatched in 

 a properly regulated heat, by means of ovens, or rather warm cham- 

 bers, particularly in Egypt, where they are produced by thousands; 

 and the people from all quarters come at the expected time to buy 

 them, being reared from the egg, with very little care.* How this 

 might succeed in the colder climates has probably not been tried in 

 earnest; but it is to be feared, that it would not be attended with 

 the same success. 



The making of Capons, by depriving the male of the ability of 

 propagating its species, was, we believe, more the custom in former 

 years than at present, though such birds are yet sought after by the 

 lovers of good eating, their flesh being juicy and delicate. In this 

 business no people are so expert and successful as the Pahariahs 

 (native Indians), and the birds are so cheap in consequence of the 

 general practice, that the average price in India may be deemed 

 about two-pence or three-pence each. They are chiefly white, and 

 grow very large and fat.f 



had the first repute for furnishing the best birds; and Melos, and Chalcis held the second 

 rank. — Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 16. ch. 21. The ancients preferred the breeds of Tanagra and 

 Rhodes, as also Chalcis in Euboea, and the country of Media, for their magnanimous race 

 of chickens; probably including Persia, whence this kind was brought into Greece. This 

 superiority consisted in their weight and largeness, perhaps of the nature of those called by 

 our sportsmen Shake-bags, or Turnpokes. Again, there was a breed of Hens at Alexandria, 

 in Egypt, called Movoeopoi, which produced the best fighting Cocks. See Archoeol. iii. 

 p. 142. 



* Pocock's Travels, i. p. 38. 260. pi. 71. The women in Egypt are said to hatch the 

 chickens under their arm-pits, Hasselq. Voy. p. 55. An account of the Chicken Ovens at 

 Mansoure, mentioned in Savory's Travels. 



f Oriental Field Sports, ii. p. 19. 



Z 2 



