15 



16), the contents are completely emptied. After this the egg 

 should be filled with water from the syringe, gently shaken, and 

 blown out, which process is to be repeated until its interior is 

 completely cleansed, when it should be laid upon a pad of blot- 

 ting-paper or fine cloth, w-ith the hole downwards, its position 

 on the pad or cloth being occasionally changed, until it is per- 

 fectly dry. During this time it should be kept as much as pos- 

 sible from the light, especially from the sunshine, as the colors 

 are then more liable to fade than at any subsequent time. In 

 the case of very small eggs, when fresh, the contents may be 

 sucked out by means of a bulbed tube {Jig. 6), and the interior 

 afterwards rinsed out as before. It is always advisable, as for 

 as possible, to avoid wetting the outside of the shell, as the 

 action of water is apt to remove the "bloom," affect the color, 

 and in some cases alter the crystallization of the shell. Conse- 

 quently dirt stains or dung spots should never be removed. 

 While emptying the contents, it is as well to hold the egg over 

 a basin of water, to avoid breakage in case of its slipping from 

 the fingers. Eggs that are very hard sat upon, of whatever size 

 they be, should be treated in the manner detailed in the accom- 

 panying " Description of Egg-blowing Instruments," under the 

 head of "fg. 17," which is a method superior to any other known 

 at present to the writer for preventing injury arising to them. 

 Should the yelk of the egg be dried up, a small portion of car- 

 bonate of soda may be introduced (but with great care that it 

 does not touch the outer surface of the shell, in which case the 

 color is likely to be affected), and then the egg filled with water 

 from the syringe, and left to stand a few hours with the hole 

 uppermost, after which the contents are found to be soluble, and 

 are easily removed by the blowpipe, assisted by one of the hooks. 

 It is almost unnecessary to add, except for the benefit of begin- 

 ners, that the manipulation of the different instruments requires 

 extreme caution, but a few trials will give the collector the 

 practice necessary for success. Those who may still prefer to 

 blow eggs by means of two holes are particularly requested not 

 to make them at the ends of the eggs, nor at opposite sides, but on the 

 same side. {Jig. 18.) In this case the hole nearest the smaller end 

 of the egg should be the smallest, and the contents blown out at 

 the other. If the holes are made at the ends of the eggs, it not 

 only very much injures their appearance as cabinet specimens, 



