CANARY-BIRD. 79 



most certain method of testing the charac- 

 ter of eggs. 



When your hen has ceased laying every 

 morning, examine the nest and take out 

 the egg, replacing it with one made of 

 ivory; but as soon as she has laid her full 

 quantity, which is generally five or six, 

 take away the ivory egg and return the 

 whole of her eggs to their former situa- 

 tion. The hen will then commence sitting, 

 and in due time hatch all the young to- 

 gether; which, were the eggs left in the 

 nest, she would not do except at intervals 

 of several days; and then the first hatched 

 birds would probably be stifled to death 

 by the mother's continuing on the nest to 

 hatch the rest. 



The hen always lays before eight o'clock 

 in the morning. If she be not regular in 

 this process, she is certain to fall sick and 

 require the attention given to egg-bound 

 birds, [see p. 71,] which she should imme- 

 diately have, to prevent fatal consequences. 

 Whenever you remove eggs from the 



