THE BANKIVA COCK. 
131 
noisy and ridiculous pastime of this period — “ Thresh- 
ing the Hen.” 
At Shrovetide to shroving go thresh the fat hen, 
; If blindfold can kill him, then give it thy men. 
Tusser. 
“ The Hen,” says Brand, “ was hung at a fellow's 
back, who has also some horse bells about him ; the 
rest of the fellows are blinded, and have boughs in 
their hands, with which they chase this fellow with 
his hen about some large court or small enclosure, 
the fellow with his hen and bells shifting as well as 
he can, they follow the sound, and sometimes hit 
him and his hen ; at other times, if he can get be- 
hind one of them, they thrash one another right fa- 
vourably. When the hen was killed, it was boiled 
with bacon, and store of pancakes and fritters are 
made.” 
For economical purposes there is no bird used to 
the same extent. Among all nations it is most ex- 
tensively reared, and we believe is one of the only 
instances where artificial means have been attempted 
with success. The Egyptians have practised this 
manner of rearing poultry with the greatest nicety, 
and in the edifices heated by flues, .and constructed 
forthis purpose only, from 40,000 to 50,000 chickens 
could be hatched at once. This was attempted to 
be introduced into various parts of Europe by 
Reaumur, but with only partial success, and within 
these few years an establishment to a considerable 
extent was tried in London. The temperature of 
