How to obtain it. 185 



packed in mosses of many descriptions, in cotton wadding, in 

 flannel, in water, in gravel, in muslin, and many other substances. 



The work is by no means difficult, and when the principle is 

 once understood and the requirements of ova have been sufficiently 

 studied, a dexterous hand will soon become expert at their 

 manipulation in large quantities. When a quarter of a million of 

 eggs have to be packed in a couple of hours a system is required 

 in order to carry on the work. The eggs are packed in trays 

 which are made of wood with a bottom of perforated zinc. 



One worker places a sheet of felted moss at the bottom of 

 each tray, and upon it a piece of swansdown or fine netting. 

 Another takes the eggs off the grilles in the hatchery, and carries 

 them into the packing room, where they are deposited in bowls, 

 on a bench near the packers. The eggs are so easily counted on 

 the grilles that the exact number in the bowls is known. They 

 are all measured as they are put into the trays, however, and the 

 measure being ascertained by counting to hold a certain number, 

 checks the count of the ova on the grilles, and prevents the 

 possibility of any mistake. 



The eggs are transferred from the measure to the fabric in 

 the packing trays, and by a stroke of the hand gently spread with 

 the help of a heron's feather. The tray is then handed to an 

 expert, who picks out any blind or white egg, or puny embryo, 

 should such be discovered to have been overlooked when the eggs 

 were picked over on the grille in the hatching box. This can 

 only be done in the daylight, as it is impossible to detect the 

 difference when eggs are packed during the dark hours. The 

 layer is then covered with another piece of fabric, over which is 

 placed a second layer of felted moss, which in its turn receives a 

 sheet of fabric, and a layer of eggs. Three layers of ova, four or 

 five sheets of felted moss and six egg cloths form the contents of 

 each tray, and the trays are piled one on the top of each other 

 as required, up to the number of eight, and these are placed in an 

 inside case contained in a box of sawdust. They are usually 

 lifted out of this case by means' of a flannel band, which is passed 

 underneath them in packing. In this way a large number of eggs 

 may be packed in a short time by either men or women. They 

 should never be touched by the hand. 



