PLUMAGE IN HEN-BIRDS. 



187 



attacked and killed her, whilst the change of plu- 

 mage was every day becoming more like that of a 

 cock. The hen, after death, was again sent to me ; 

 but in such a mangled state, that I could not pre- 

 serve her by stuffing. I dissected the body, how- 

 ever, and found the perfect organs of a hen, with an 

 ovarium and oviduct, quite flaccid, but destitute of 

 eggs. 



I expressed my opinion to Mrs Adams, that this 

 change was merely the effect of age, and as confor- 

 mable to the established laws of nature, as the differ- 

 ences of plumage existing between the cock and hen 

 at a more early period of life. With all that ready 

 kindness which invariably distinguishes the conduct 

 of this lady, she offered to keep some of her oldest 

 hens for me, in order to ascertain if my surmises were 

 well founded ; and I have been lately favoured with 

 a letter from her upon this subject, which I shall 

 transcribe in part, as it is written with the utmost 

 clearness, and illustrative of a similar change which 

 took place in another of her old hens. 



f I will, most readily give you every information 

 in my power, on the subject of my two curious 

 hens, although I fear it will not be so particular as 

 you require. One was fifteen years old, the other 

 thirteen. I bought them both when pullets. 

 They were of the common domestic breed, and ex- 

 cellent layers, which was the reason I kept them 

 so long. 



