Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 217, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 September 1913 — A STRANGE FREAK OF HENS [ARTICLE]

A STRANGE FREAK OF HENS

Large Flock of Swimming Fowls Arg the Attraction in a Massachu- r setts Town. ( Athol, Mass.—Several Athol- residents have made trips to Templeton to the farm owned by Charles F. Maynard, where there is a flock of swimming hens. Mr. Maynard has a pond near his home, where the hens swim about with all the grace and abandon of ordinary ducks. About p week ago the hens were {feeding about the edge of the pond and-had found a rich crop of bugs and. water insects. *At last one hen saw some fat bugs on a lily pad. near shore, and after wading out a short distance made a dive for them. Mr. Maynard expected to see biddy go under, but she swam about like a lifeBaver. Tjbe other hens did not enjoy her monopoly of the bug market, and one after another they darted‘in and seemed to enjoy the situation. Thd' hens now go to the pond often for a feast of water Insects.