132 



SEASON 1874-75. 



the size of the feeding- or rather distributing- spout out of all 

 proportion to the increase of the quantity of water. If this is 

 not done, the current is so much stronger at the supply end, it 

 sets past the first sluices, and not only vents irregularly, but is 

 always short in quantity. 



In the despatching-house it was necessary to have a long 

 distributing-spout, giving an equal supply to twelve boxes. The 

 conditions forbade a very large spout, and the difficulty was over- 

 come by a false bottom, to which I shall again refer. All the 

 spouts at Middlethird were of flooring, charred inside, and painted 

 outside. Fig. 84 is a plan. 



T a" 

 FIG. 84 scale fa. 



THE REARING-BOXES 



complete the furnishings of Middlethird hatching-house. They 

 were built of larch an inch thick, the bottoms 

 being of flooring, as in the hatching-boxes 

 (Fig. 85); the outlets were cut to retain 3 inches 

 of water, in case of the supply being stopped 

 through any accident. Nothing was left to 

 chance. The lids were a light frame of wood 

 covered with half-inch wire-netting for three 



parts of the length, the remainder having No. 9 perforated zinc, 



I' -4" 



FIG. 85 scale 



Flu. ati scale fa. 



