TRANSPORTATION OF EGGS. 



with same kind of moss, take it out of the water, and leave 

 it a little while, so that the water may drain off through 

 the holes in the bottom, and the damp, spong}^ moss be 

 left, an elastic and life-giving cushion to keep the eggs 

 from feeling sudden jolts on the journey, and to supply 

 them with oxgen. When the water is all drained off, the 

 covers are to be placed on the boxes, and tied on with pack 

 thread. If in any of these operations the box of eggs 

 should fall out of your hands to the floor, it would prob- 

 ably kill nearly every egg. The tin boxes are to be packed 

 in saw dust in a box or tin pail, the saw dust being first 

 very slightl}^ dampened. We generally pack our eggs in 

 a tin pail, so that the expressmen may lift it by the handle 

 and set it down lightly, and not be tempted by the light 

 weight of a square box to pitch it pell-mell into the car, 

 and destroy every egg in it. The saw dust should cover 

 the boxes to the depth of an inch, at least ; then, if they 

 are not exposed to a freezing temperature, nor to a hot 

 fire, and receive moderately decent treatment, they will 

 go safely thousands of miles. We have sent them safely 

 beyond the Rocky Mountains, to California, to England, 

 and to France. We have packed eggs in such a box when 

 they wei-e first taken from the fish, and keeping it at the 

 same temperature as the water in the troughs have left it, 

 until eggs taken at the same time, and placed in the 

 trouglis, were hatching out ; and then, opening the box, 

 have found that some of the fish had already appeared, 

 others were just breaking the shells, and all the impreg- 

 nated eggs were alive, and in good condition. Of course 

 the young fish would not live in the moss, but would die 

 as soon as they appeared. We do not mention this as a 

 new method of hatching eggs, but to show how perfect 

 the means is of sending them. The eggs in the box should 

 be spread as thinly and evenly tlirough the box as possible, 

 taking care that none of them touch the sides of the box, 



