— 60 — 



these are placed by pai-cDieiisis the ordinarx- rapid methods 

 used in destroying the eggs of various of the smaller Xorth 

 American and European species cannot be employed with suc- 

 cess here in the Argentine Republic. Then, too, the time of year 

 during which they are laid renders the use of many methods 

 out of the question. 



Hand-gatlieyiiig. — This appears to be the chief method era- 

 ployed here. While it is very slow, it has the advantage of 

 being very efficient so far as it goes. I3y a little ingenuity on 

 the part of the egg-gatherers, various tools, as spades, shovels 

 trowels, rakes, etc., can be utilized in facilitating matters. The 

 very tedious method of digging out the cartiic/ios one by one 

 with a knife or trowel is too slow. By first shaving ofi' about 

 an inch of the surface-earth with a spade or shovel and throwing 

 it aside and then taking another la^^er containing the eggs and 

 loosening it up, a small hand rake can be used for gathering 

 the egg-clusters. For simpl^^ destrox^^ing the eggs and not 

 attempting" to gather them the use of machinery is best. 



Madiiiies. — Where it is not desired to collect and sell the 

 eggs they may be destroyed much more rapidly by the use of 

 such machines as plows, disks and harrows. Very deep plow- 

 ing and afterwards rolling is known to destroy most if not 

 all the eggs in fields thus treated. By plowing them under 

 five, six or more inches and then rolling the ground the young 

 are prevented from reaching the surface even though they 

 should hatch. Very light or shallow plowing and a later tho- 

 rough harrowing tears the egg-pods apart and exposes many 

 of the eggs to the effects of sun and air. In a dry climate this 

 last method is more effective than where there is a plentiful 

 supply of moisture. 



Tramping. — Sometimes it is practical to drive mares or 

 sheep back and forwards overa spot containing eggs. When the 

 ground is soft and wet the eggs may nearly all be crushed, or 

 so trampled into the mud by this method, that few will hatch. 



All egg-destro.ving must be done very promptly after laying 

 takes place, for the time is short for this work. As stated in a 

 preceding chapter, the eggs hatch in from twenty-five to sixty 

 days according to condition of weather and time of 3'ear when 

 laid. 



