The morning call., 1893-05-21
A DISAPPOINTED HEN.
Having Hatched Ducklings She Elk.
pected FOO Much Afterward.
efiield tEngland) Telegraph.

pCCtSd iOO NluSn fALLCi WdIQs
Sheffield tEngland) Telegraph.
A well-to-do farmer in little village In
Hrrtford shire has nice nine-year-old
hen on his farm that has a good memory.
The first brood she ever Matched was
from a setting of ducks eggs. She was
exceedingly proud Of her family, and after
they were few days old she wandered
with them through the farmyard toward a
neigh boring pond. e5s
The ducklings no sooner came in sight
of the pond that they toddled toward it,,
unmindful of the calls of their hen mother
or her distressed agitation.
They plunged into the water, and were
at once in tie full enjoyment of their
natural element. t
> BY and by, seeing that o harm came to
her brood from her contact with the Ito
her) dangerous water, the hen Quieted
down. and 1t was not long before she was
enjoying the antics OF the duckliugs in the
pond as much as they were themselves.
She watched them intently. occasionally
giving low and contented clucks, until the
ducks were satisfied with their sport and
came out and rejoined their guardian, who
led them back home again.
Every day after that the hen took her
brood 10 the pond bright and early, and
stood by and watched them sporting in
the water with as plain evidences of en-
Joy ment as actions could give.
She continued to take daily pleasure in
watching the young ducks in the water
until they grew out OF her care. and even
pond for an hour or so and watched them
as they swan.
The next spring this hen was set on eggs
of her own kind and hatched out fine
brood of chicks. The first thing she did
when she got around with her new family
1-Ul Nt.az Il 1,A1rN = AL
She seemed to be surprised when they
showed no inclination to get in the water
and tried to coax them in. Not succeeding
in that, she picked ur a chick in her 10 opth
and dropped it into the pond.
She stood and watched the struggles OF
the chick in the water until il was
drowned. That seemed to be a disap-
pointment to. her.
She picked up another chick and dropped
it in. That one struggled in the same way
and soon died.
This seemed to enrage the hen, and she
grabbed another chick. tossed 1t in the
water, then another, ard threw it In evil
dently intent on drowning the whole
brood in the pond in her disappointed
rage, when one of the family, who had
noticed the strange action of the hen. ran
10 the rescue and drove the hen and the
rest of the brood TO the house and shut
them up. M a
The hen has hatched brood OF chickens
every year since. and TO test her recollec-
ton of her enjoyment of her first brood Of
rducklngs in the pond, she has been per.
mitted to run at large with her broods.
The hen ran up and down the sides, call.
ing frantically to her brood and manifest.
ing her distress in. varioas ways. But the
tducklings paid no attention to her, and
sported their fluffy bodies about on the
water.
Mt onoa hoe eba Fo;lod to Lad ,hor, e.
the pond and try and induce them to &c
into the water, ending up by grabbing a
| chick and tossing It in, when she is driven
off and shut up again.
If this hen has no memory, what has she
got?