WHICH-IS THE MOTHER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2201, 14 May 1891, Page 3

WHICH-IS THE MOTHER.

Which is the mother of the chick — the hen that lays the egg or the ben that hatches it ? This is a question just decided by Justice M’Mabou, of Parkville, a small but interesting suburb at Brooklyn. It is the first case of the kind brought into Court, and by reason of its unique importance the trial has occupied much of the time of the presiding justice. The facts are that Farmer M’Caughn and Farmer Gormley are next door neighbours, and their henneries adjoin each other. Farmer M’Osughn owns choice game birds, but the fowls belonging to his neighbors, are of the ordinary farmyard standard. It was testified to that one of Farmer M’Canghn’s hen scrambled over the fence and indiscreetly, if not wickedly and feloniously, did lay two eggs, at divers times, on Farmer Gormley’a premises. The triumphant note which heralded this maternal aohieyemeut did not suggest to Farmer Gormley the propriety of picking up the eggs and delivering them into the possession of the owner of the ben. On the contrary he promptly put them under a sitting ben owned by himself, and in due course of time they were hatched. So soon as their leathers and little red combs began to grow, Farmer M’Ooughn observed that these dubious chickens were full-blooded game birds, like those of bis own hennery, and he made a demand for them. Farmer Gormley denied the claim of ownership with emphasis and diadem. Then Farmer M’Caughn summoned his chicken-raising neighbor before the Court for trial, and issue was joined. The question was not between hen and hen, but between farmer and farmer, or, rather, it was a question as to whose hen was the mother of the chickens. Now, ordinary common sense would suggest that, as the batching of chickens is a mere mechanical process, chiefly dependent upon caloric, as science has demonstrated most thoroughly, it is not characteristic, or necessarily even suggestive, of motherhood, The sit* ting hen is unquestionably an efficient incubator, and so, too, would a rooster if you could get him to sit long enough ; but who would presume to say that a rooster could become a mother even if be should hatch a dozen broods? Justice M’ Mahon has, decided that Farmer Gormley musti

surrender the two chickens to Farmer M’Canghn, or pay him the full amount of their ralne. But ii not Farmer Gormley entitled to pay for the labour and services of his hen in hatching the eggs P The decision of the justice is righteous as to the main point at issue but he seems to oyerlooked the fundamental propriety of a counter claim. We advise Farmer Gormley to appeal. New York Tribune.