Modern Authorities. 89 



blage of many ovens set together, side by 

 side, opposite, and over each other ; and 

 in the course of the process, a part of the 

 eggs are warmed in the upper rooms, after 

 having been previously in the lower. 



There is some discrepancy in the ac- 

 counts of authors as to the number of rooms, 

 and the quantity of eggs hatched at a time ; 

 it might arise, however, from difterent local 

 customs. Father Sicard gives but four or 

 five rooms to each row on the ground floor ; 

 Granger insists on seven ; Moncoiiys, ten or 

 twelve to each; whilst Thevenot asserts, 

 there are no more than three. They were 

 all eye-witnesses ; and according to the re- 

 port of one, only forty or fifty thousand 

 eggs were hatched at once, whilst another 

 extends the number to eighty thousand. 

 The eggs are spread on mats, flocks or 

 flax, in each room upon the ground floor, 

 where they contract their first and general 

 warmth, during a certain number of days. 



The UPPER ROOMS, or those of one story 

 high, have each of them fire places, the fire 

 of which warms the eggs in the correspond- 



