516 Preservation of Eggshells, 



hawk's nest. I felt certain that every difficulty had vanished, 

 and T began to blame myself on the score of former dulness. 



In selecting eggs for your cabinet, always choose those 

 which are newly laid. Make a raoderately-sized hole at the 

 sharp end, with a pointed instrument proportioned to the egg. 

 Thus, for a swan's egg^ use the point of your penknife ; for a 

 robin's, take a small pin. Having made the hole at the sharp 

 end, make one at the blunt end ; and let this last hole be as 

 small as possible. This done, apply your mouth to the blunt 

 end, and blow the contents of the egg through the sharp end, 

 where the hole is larger. If the yolk will not come out freely, 

 run a pin or a wire up into the egg, and stir the yolk well 

 about. Now get a cupful of water, and, immersing the sharp 

 end of the shell into it, apply your mouth to the blunt end, 

 and suck up some of the water into the empty shell. Then 

 put your finger and thumb upon the two holes, shake the 

 water well within, and, after this, blow it out. The water will 

 clear your egg of any remains of yolk or of white which might 

 stay in after the blowing. If one sucking up of water will not 

 suffice, make a second or a third. 



An egg, immediately after it is produced, is very clean and 

 pure ; but by staying in the nest, and by coming in contact 

 with the feet of the bird, it soon assumes a soiled appearance. 

 To remedy this, wash it well in soap and water ; and use a 

 nail-brush to get the dirt off. Your egg-shell is now as it 

 ought to be ; and nothing remains to be done but to prevent 

 tlie thin white membrane (which is still inside) from corrupting. 



Take a wine-glass, and fill it with the solution of corrosive 

 sublimate in alcohol. Then immerse the sharp end of the 

 egg-shell into it, keeping your finger and thumb, as you hold 

 it, just clear of the solution. Apply your mouth to the little 

 hole at the blunt end, and suck up some of the solution into 

 the shell. You need not be fearful of getting the liquor into 

 your mouth ; for, as soon as it rises in the shell, the cold will 

 strike your finger and thumb, and then you cease sucking. 

 Shake the shell just as you did v^hen the water was in it, 

 and then blow the solution back into the glass. Your egg- 

 shell is now beyond the reach of corruption ; the membrane 

 retains for ever its pristine whiteness ; and no insect, for the 

 time to come, will ever venture to prey upon it. If you wish 

 your egg to appear extremely brilliant, give it a coat of mastic 

 varnish, put on very sparingly with a camel-hair pencil. 

 Green or blue eggs must be done with gum arable, because 

 the mastic varnish is apt to injure the colour. 



This is all. How dull I have been, not to have found out 

 this simple process long ago! I have used the solution to 



