The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-26
HEN SENSE
INTERESTING TESTS OF HE INSTINCTS Or f'"L''
rceorpe J. Romanes in Nature. ]

Rrahma hen to hatch. The hen was an Ola
one, and had previously reared many prooos
of ordinary chickens with unusual success
even for one of her breed. In order 10 natch
the pea-chick, she had to sit one week Longer
than ia requisite to hatch an ordinary chick.
But in this there is nothing very unusual, Tor
as Mr.. Spalding observes, the same thing nap.
pens with every hen that matches out brooo
of ducklings The object with which MADE
this experiment, however, was that OF ascel-
tanning whether the period OF maternal care
subsequent to incubation admits, under pecu-
liar conditions, of being prolonged iof a
pea-chick requires such care for very mucn
longer time than does an ordinary CHICK.
AS the separation between hen and ner
chickens always appears to De que 70 tne
former driving away the latter wnen tney are
old enough to shift for themselves, scarcely
expected the hen in this case 10 proiong ner
period of maternal care, ana, inaeeo, oniy
tried the Experiment because l thought tnat II
she did SO the fact would be the best one
IMAGINABLE to show in what a high degree
hereditary instinct may be modified by pecu-
liar individual experiences. The result was
yery surprising. For the enormous PERIOD OF
eiobteen months this old Brahma hen re-
NAMED with her ever-growlng chicken; ana
throughout the whole of that time she con-
tinued to pay it unremittipg attention, ohe
never laid any eggs during this iengtneheo
period Of maternal supervise and II at any
time she became accidentally separated lIom
her charge, the distress OF mother ana chlcAon
was very great. Eventually the separation
seemed to take place on the side OF the pea
cock: but it is remarkable that, although the
mother and chicken eventually separated
thew never afterward forgot each other' es
usnalIv appears to be the case with hens and
their chickens. ~.
So long as they remained together the
abnorm 4 degree of pride which the mother
cbowad in her wonderful chicken was most
Indicrous: but have no space to enter into
details. 1t may be stated, however, that
both before and after the separation the
mother was in the habit OF frequently COMB
ing out the top-knot Of her son-she stand
ing on q seat or other eminence, OF suitable
height, and he bending his head forward with
evident satisfaction. This fact Is particularly
noteworthy, because the practice of comblng
ont the top-knots of their chickens is custom
ary among pea-hens In conclusion l may
observe that the peacock raised by this Brah-
ma hen turned out finer bird in every way
than did any of his brothers of the same
brood which were reared by their own mother.
bat that on repeating the experiment the
next year with another Brahma hen and sew
eral pea-chickens, the result was different, tor
the hen deserted her family at the same time
when it is natural for ordinary hens to do SO,
and in consequence all the pea-hens mlsera-
have lust concluded another experiment
which is we'll worth recording. A bitten Ter
ret strangled herself by trying to squeeze
Though too narrow an opening. She lett
very young family Of three orphans. These
gave. in the middle of the day, to Brahma
Id oft dummies
about month. She took to them almost I'M
medistely, and remained with them rather
more than fortnight, at the end OF which
time l had to cause a separation, IN conse-
uuence OF the hen having suftocated one OF
the ferrets by standing on its neck. During
thalvhole of the time that the ferrets we're
left with the hen, the latter had to SIT upon
the nest for the young ferrets, of course,
were not able to follow the hen about as
chickens would have done. The hen, as
might be expected, was very much puzzled at
the lethargy of her offspring,
Two or three times day she used to ny on
the nest, calling upon her brood TO follow;
but upon hearing their cries of distress from
cold. she ALWAYS returned Immediately, and
sat with patience for six or seven hours more,
l should have said that it only took the hen
one day to learn the meaning OF these cries
of distress; for, after the first day, she would
always run in an agitated manner to any
place where I concealed the terrets. provided
that this place was not too far away from the
nest to prevent her from hearing these cries
of distress. Yet do not think it would be
possible to conceive OF greater contrast
than that between the shrill. piping notes OF
young chicken and the hoarse. growing notes
Of young ferret. On the other hand, can
not say that the young ferrets ever seemed 70
.sa.-;,o 80 tho hans cluckinp
During the whole of the time that the hen
was allowed to sit upon the ferrets, she used
to comb out their hair with her bill, IN the
same way as hens in general comb out the
feathers of their chickens.
While engaged in this process, however,
she used frequently to stop and LOOK with
one eye at the wriggling nest-fuil with an IN
uniripp gaze, expressive of astonishment. At
other times, also, her family gave her good
reason to be surprised, for she used often to
ay off tie nest with loud scream-an action
which was doubtless due to the unaccustomed
sensation of being nipped by the young
ferrets in their search for the teats. II Is
further worth while to remark that the men
showed so much uneasiness Of mind when the
ferrets were taken from her to be fed, that at
one time thought she was going to desert
them altogether. After this, therefore, the
ferrets were always fed in the nest and with
this arrangement the hen was perfectly salts
fed-apparently because she then thought
that she had some share in the feeding pro-
cess. At any rate, she used to cluck when
she saw the milk coming and surveyed the
feeding with evident satisfaction.
Altogether, consider this a very remarka-
BILE instance of the Elasticity OF instinct.
The hen, it should be said, was young one
and had never reared brood of chickens. A
few months before she reared the young fer
rets, she had been attacked and nearly killed
by an old ferret which had escaped from his
hutch. The young ferrets were taken from
her several days before their eyes were
open.
In conclusion may add that, few weeks
before trying this experiment with the hen.
tried q similar one with the rabbit. In this
case the ferret was newly-born, and | gave 1t
to white doe rabbit which had Uttered six
days before. Unlike the hen, however, she
perceived the imposture at once, and attac ked
the young ferret SO savagely that she broke
two of its legs before could remove it. To
have made this experiment parallel with the
other. however, the two mothers ought to
have Uttered on the same day. In this case