The Broad Ax

The Common Hen.

When you come right down to natural history facts there is no beast or bird about which a boy or girl knows more than about the common barnyard hen, which is a very industrious individual. But there may be some boys and girls who do not know that the hen and her male companion, the rooster, came originally from Asia. In the jungles of India they used to roam wild and were great fighters. When a couple of them engaged in battle the one that was victorious would shout it out with loud crowing.

There is also a negro variety that has not only black feathers, but a black skin.

You no doubt have seen the Cochins that came originally from China, and you may have heard or read that the Greeks and Romans and the Egyptians thought a great deal of the hen.