74 



HARDWICKE'S SCIEN CE - GO S SIP. 



prevent it from becoming stopped up by any foreign 

 substance. A common jeweller's blowpipe may be 

 used for large eggs, such as those of gulls and 

 ducks. Fig. 53 is a small glass bulb-tube, which 

 may be used for sucking out the contents of very 

 delicate eggs, and other purposes, which will be 

 explained hereafter. The small drill and blowpipe 

 may be carried inside the cover of the note-books. 



Fig. 51. German 

 silver Blowpipe. 



Fig. 52. Wire for 

 unstopping ditto. 



Fig. 53. 

 Glass Bulb-tube, 

 for sucking eggs. 



The sooner a fresh egg is emptied of its contents 

 after it is taken from the nest the better: this 

 should be done by making a hole ia the side with 

 the drill (choosing the side which is least conspicu- 

 ously marked) by working it gently backwards and 

 forwards between the forefinger and thumb, and 

 taking great care not to press too heavily, or the egg 

 will burst with the outward pressure of the drill : 

 a very small hole will generally be found sufficient. 

 When this is done, take the egg in the left band with 

 the hole dowmvards, introduce the blowpipe, by 

 blowing gently through which the contents may 

 soon be forced out. Water should then be intro- 

 duced by means of a syringe or the bulb-tube, wbich 



may be filled and blown into the egg. After shaking, 

 blow the water out again by means of the blow- 

 pipe ; repeat this till the egg is free from any re- 

 mains of the yolk or white : should the egg not be 

 quite fresh, it will require more washing. Civre 

 should be taken to wet the surface of the egg as 

 little as possible. After washing the interior, lay 

 the egg, with the bole downwards, on a pad of 

 blotting-paper to drain till it is quite dry. Should 

 the eggs be much incubated, I should recommend 

 that the old birds be left to complete their labour 

 of love ; but a valuable egg may be made available 

 by carefully cutting a piece out of the side, extract- 

 ing the young one, and, after replacing the piece of 

 shell with strong gum-water, covering the join with 

 a slip of very thin silk-paper, which may be tinted 

 so as to resemble the egg, and will scarcely be 

 noticed. This is a very rough way of proceeding, 

 however, compared with Professor Newton's plan of 

 gumming several thicknesses of fine paper over 

 the side of the egg to strengthen it, through which 

 the hole is drilled ; the young chick is then cut into 

 small pieces by means of suitable instruments, and 

 the pieces removed with others :* the paper is then 

 damped and removed from the egg. 



The old plan of making two holes in the side of 

 the egg is very objectionable : a hole at each end 

 is still worse. Many eggs would be completely 

 spoiled by washing, none improved. There is no 

 necessity for washing at all, except such as aro very 

 filthy, and these eggs (which you may be sure are 

 not fresh) are not such as should be willingly ac- 

 cepted as specimens : a little dirt only adds to the 

 natural appearance of the egg, washing in most 

 cases certainly does not. Never use varnish to the 

 shell ; it imparts a gloss whicb is not natural : all 

 eggs should not have a polished appearance like 

 those of the Woodpecker. Corrosive sublimate 

 dissolved in spirits of wine may be applied as a wash 

 to the inside of eggs which are not fresh when 

 blown, as the lining in such is very liable to decay, 

 or to be attacked by insects. It should be used very 

 carefully'as follows :— Suck a small quantity up into 

 the bulb-tube and discharge' it into the egg ; after 

 shaking it, to insure the entire surface being wetted 

 by the solution, blow out the superfluous moisture 

 and allow the egg to dry. Should the yolk be 

 dried to the side of the egg, a solution of carbonate 

 of soda should be introduced : let it remain till the 

 contents are softened, then blow out and wash well. 

 Great care must be taken not to allow the solution 

 to come in contact with the outside of the egg. 

 Having blown the egg, and allowed the inside to 

 become quite dry, procure some thin silk-paper gum- 

 med on one side, and with a harness-maker's punch 



* "Suggestions for forming Collections of Birds' Eggs." 

 By Professor Newton. Written for the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion of Washington, and republished by Newman, 9, Devon- 

 shire Street, Bishopsgate. 



