LETTER XV. INHABITANTS OF THE POULTRY-YARD.--FOWLS, TURKEYS, GUINEA FOWLS, GEESE, DUCKS, AND PIGEONS.--PEACOCKS AND HENS.--DISEASES OF POULTRY, AND THEIR CURE. My hints for teaching you how to enjoy a country life would be sadly deficient if I were to omit poultry, as the duties of attending on them are so completely feminine, that even in farm-houses they are entirely under the care of females; and, indeed, few artists or authors would think a picture of rural life complete, if they did not introduce into it the image of a fair young girl feeding poultry. I have just been reading a description of this kind in Miss Bremer's beautiful story of _Strife and Peace_, and it has pleased me so much, and seems so appropriate, that I cannot resist the temptation of quoting it. "The morning was fresh and clear. The September sun shone brightly into the valley; smoke rose from the cottages. The lady-mantles in whose channelled cups clear pearls trembled, the silver weed with its yellow flowers and silver-bright leaves, grew along a little footpath which wound round the base of a moss-grown hill. It conducted to a spring of the clearest water, which, after forming a little pond, led its silver stream, dancing and murmuring, to the river. On this beautiful morning Susanna approached the spring; and in her train came 'cock and hen, and chicken small.' Before her waddled a troop of geese, gabbling noisily, and all white but one--a grey one. The grey goose walked with a timid, hesitating air, a little behind the others, compelled to retain this position by a tyrant in the white flock, who drove him back with outstretched neck and loud cry whenever he attempted to approach the rest. None of the other geese concerned themselves about their ill-used companion, but Susanna took it under her especial protection, and did all in her power to console it for the injustice of its kind. After the geese came the demure but clumsy ducks; the petulant turkey-cock, with his awkward dames, one white and one black; and last, the turbulent race of chickens, with their stately pugnacious cocks. The prettiest of all the party were a flock of pigeons, who timidly, but confidently at the same time, now alighted on Susanna's shoulder and outstretched hand, and now rose in the air and flew in shining circles round her head; then dropping to the earth, tripped on their little fringed feet, to drink at the spring; while the geese, with loud noise, plunged splashing into the river, and threw the water over the grass in a pearly shower." I must now, however, return from the region of poetry to plain matter of fact.