174 NEW ZEALAND NATURE-STUDY BOOK 
When she has a brood of chickens, the hen is particularly 
fearless, being ready to defend them with great courage. 
She is able to call them with a peculiar clucking cry, the 
sound being capable of much variation. The chickens 
readily understand the meaning of the different sounds. A 
note of invitation where she has found some dainty morsel 
is quickly responded to, and, at the first warnings of a 
danger-signal, the brood hurry to take refuge under her 
wings. At night she protects them from cold by her warm 
covering of feathers. 
Uses. Fowls are kept for the sake of their flesh as well ~ 
as for their eggs. If well-fed and looked after, a hen will lay 
upwards of 200 eggs ina year. During the last few years 
the N.Z. Government has endeavoured to encourage the 
rearing of fowls, by introducing valuable breeds of poultry, 
as well as by facilitating the export of poultry and eggs. 
For this and other reasons the fowl-rearing industry has 
rapidly increased throughout the colony, and promises to 
furnish in the years to come a large and important 
export. 
The Duck. The Duck may be taken as a type of that 
order of birds which spend much of their lives on the 
water, and are known as swimmers. 
The body of the Duck is long and boat-shaped, being 
specially adapted for the life it leads. The short strong 
legs are placed as far back as possible, causing a peculiar 
waddling gait as the bird walks along. The three front 
toes are united by webs, and the hind toe is placed above 
the plane of the others. 
The Head is curved on the top, and ends in a large 
broad and somewhat depressed bill, having a hard horny 
tip. A soft layer of skin covers both mandibles, each of 
which has along its inner edge, a row of tooth-like. 
projections: the tongue is large and fleshy, and provided 
