Can I get that on a bumper-sticker?
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thinkof it as a Set Domain. Mama Duck has n chicks. In her mind she establishes a pattern set (A) - which contains n objects. The actual count doesnt matter it is a template. When she is ready to move, she mentally establishes a current set (B) which contains all visible matches to what she perceives as chicks. In establishing to her satisfaction that all chicks are present and accounted for, she matches (A) to (B), probably through instinctive relational subtraction. If (A) == (B), she is happy and off she goes to cross the highway and get run over. Should (A) ~= (B), then she begins to search, instantiating new elements to (B) until she gets the pattern match [(A) == (B)] or her instinct makes her leave, at which point she establishes a new template set (A).
I don't think it would fit, unless you had an SUV.
Oh wait, you meant the OP, didn't you?