188 ON THE CHANGE OF 



" I first observed the change in them, after an ab- 

 sence of five months, when I enquired of my dairy- 

 maid, from whence came those two young cocks, 

 for such they appeared to me in their plumage and 

 crowing. I was greatly surprised at being inform- 

 ed, that they were my two old hens. The appear- 

 ance of cock's feathers in their tails, and the change 

 of their voices, were the first signs of their altera- 

 tion. They had laid no eggs for two years ; and 

 how long they might have lived it is impossible 

 for me to say ; for that sent to you was killed by 

 a turkey-cock, and the other by a servant, (un- 

 known to me), who thought it right to get rid of 

 any thing so useless. She told me that on draw- 

 ing it, the bag containing the eggs was quite closed, 

 and become a hard substance. Two of my servants, 

 who have lived in farm-houses, inform me, that 

 this change of plumage is by no means uncom- 

 mon ; but that, as soon as it is observed, the hen 

 is immediately killed, because it is looked upon as 

 an omen of ill-luck to any family, where the hens 

 crow." 



There is some similarity between this account of 

 Mrs Adams's servant, and that of the person who 

 stuffed Mr Corham's hen, as far as regards the state 

 of the cloac, oviduct, &c. after death. 



I regret that I could discover nothing of the sort 

 in the cloac of the hen which I dissected ; the sea- 

 son of the year might possibly account for the dinV 



