28 o 
BRITISH BIRDS. 
her cries and the violence of her emotions. If fhe 
Ihould be deprived of her own eggs, which is fre- 
quently the cafe, fhe will cover thofe of any other 
kind, or even fi&itious ones of ftone or chalk, by 
which means fhe waftes herfelf in fruitlefs efforts. 
A fitting hen is a lively emblem of the moll af- 
fectionate folicitude and attention ; fhe covers her 
eggs with her wings, fofters them with a genial 
warmth, changing them gently, that all parts may 
be properly heated ; fhe feems to perceive the im- 
portance of her employment, and is fo intent in her 
occupation, that fhe negleCls, in fome meafure, the 
neceffary fupplies of food and drink ; fhe omits no 
care, overlooks no precaution, to complete the ex- 
iflence of the little incipient beings, and to guard 
againfl the dangers that threaten them. Buffon, 
with his ufual elegance, obferves, “ that the con- 
dition of a fitting hen, however infipid it may ap* 
pear to us, is perhaps not a tedious fituation, but a 
Hate of continual joy ; fo much has Nature con- 
neCled raptures with whatever relates to the mul- 
tiplication of her creatures !” 
For a curious account of the progrefs of incuba- 
tion, in the developement of the chick, we refer 
our readers to the above-mentioned author, who 
has given a minute detail of the feveral appearan- 
ces which take place, at different Hated periods, till 
the young chick is ready to break the fhell and 
come forth. In former times the Egyptians, and 
in later days philofophers, have fucceeded in hatch- 
