114 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



during the first two or tlirce days. If it 

 is finally decided to break the egg, it should 

 first be slightly dented with the thumb- 

 nail toward the thick end, and then jilaccd 

 I'ur a few seconds in a eu]) of water, a little 

 more than hikewariu. After this it should 

 be returned to the nest. In most cases 

 this will be suilicieut to enable the bird to 

 escape from the shell if it is alive. Should 

 it not hatch out in a couple of hours, and 

 there is a certainty that it is alive, the egg 

 should be taken in hand again. After 

 dipping it in warm water as before, the 

 eye-end of a sewing needle should be in- 

 serted into the skin or membrane which 

 adheres to the inside of the shell, and 

 gently drawn half way roiuid, thus slitting 

 the membrane, (ireat care must be taken 

 to insert oidy the tip of the needle, and 

 to kec}) it close u]) to the skin so as not to 

 touch the bodj' of the young bird within. 

 Having split the membrane the egg should 

 be placed in the nest again, and the hen 



allowed to return to it. In all probability, 

 and in less than an hour, the chick will be 

 hatched. I have known this means to be 

 entirely successful in many cases. 



Such an operation must, of course, be 

 carried out most carefully ; it is usually 

 foimd to be necessary in the middle of the 

 breeding season if the weather is hot and 

 dry, and the hen is not a free bather. 

 We prefer that the eggs should hatch 

 naturally, for the ability of the joiuig 

 bird to break its shell denotes strength, 

 and generally where they do not the 

 reverse is the case. A young bird which 

 cannot liberate itself on account of the 

 membrane which lines the shell having 

 become dry and tough usually chips the 

 egg where the tip of the beak lies, but 

 makes no further progress. It is this 

 indication of life which justifies the render- 

 ing of assistance before the young birtl 

 becomes exhausted in its struggle for 

 liberty. 



FIRST I.KSSONS IN HM(I)KKF- I'lNG. 



(Ftuvi a pltvlo^rnplt by Mr. J. i.. A'mii, Cti'imii/; ToUJll.) 



