120 OSTRICH-FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



a late period of the incubation, when the blood-vessels 

 have extended right round, and the heat is circulated. 

 It is thus nature provides, whilst giving the necessary 

 heat to the germ, to avoid almost entirely any evapora- 

 tion from the egg. 



Now, many machines are made regardless of this, 

 giving the heat all over the egg, and setting up a large 

 evaporation. This they attempt to remedy by giving 

 moisture by sprinkling the eggs, or inserting drawers of 

 wet earth, or moist sponges, under or amongst the eggs. 

 But this is contrary to nature, and causes the embryo 

 chick to breathe an unnatural atmosphere, to the detri- 

 ment of its future life. 



But the best proof of the comj^arative perfection to 

 which artificial hatching has now being brought at the 

 Cape, is the numerous testimonials sent me, of from 80 

 to over 90 per cent, of hardy chicks being hatched fi'om 

 large numbers of eggs, taken when fresh laid and 

 incubated. The incubators are so constructed that the 

 eggs can be put in daily as laid. 



In natural hatching, the birds should be in pairs, 

 otherwise the hens are apt to fight over the eggs and 

 cause loss, but with artificial hatching two hens to a 

 cock are best. 



As an example nf what can be done by artificial 

 hatching : one set of three birds, a cock and two hens, 



