INCUBATION. 187 



on the ground, in a soft, sandy spot, with some short-cut, clean straw, 

 in a quiet situation, free from other poultry, succeed best ; the evap- 

 oration from the ground seems necessary to" the hatching, for the want 

 of which, Mr. Cantelo recommends their being slightly damped with 

 a sponge, on the top only, about mid-day, daily. After the tenth day, 

 the eggs should be closely inspected, and those that have not germi- 

 nated, removed ; if any bad egg be discovered after this, it should 

 likewise be withdrawn. 



I am indebted to Richardson for the following useful hints : 

 In selecting eggs for setting, bear in mind what I have said as to 

 the number of hens that the cock should associate with, and choose 

 such eggs as you have reason to believe have been rendered produc- 

 tive. Those of medium size, that is to say, the average size that the 

 hen lays, are most apt to prove prolific. Sketchley tells us that he 

 has always found the round egg to contain the female chick, and that 

 of oblong shape, the male. This, however, though it may have been 

 newly discovered by Sketchley, was known to Columella and Stepha- 

 nus. If you examine the egg between your eye and a candle, you 

 will be able to discern the position of the vacancy caused by the little 

 air-bag at the blunt end of the shell. If this be in the centre, say 

 these authors, the egg will produce a cock ; if at one side, a hen. 

 This doctrine, however, has long been abandoned by physiologists, and 

 -upon the best authority ; nevertheless, though I have no faith in those 

 who pretend to tell the sex of the chickens from the eggs, you may 

 form a very fair judgment if your eggs are impregnated, from their 

 specific gravity. Put them in a bowl of tepid water, and reject such 

 as do not sink to the bottom. Choose also, such as present a marked 

 disparity of size between the two ends ; and while collecting, keep the 

 eggs dry, clean, and in a well ventilated part of the house. Such as 

 are equal in size at both ends, usually contain two yolks ; and these, 

 be it observed, instead of producing twin chickens, as might naturally 

 be expected, commonly produce monstrosities ; reject them. The 

 number of eggs to be placed under a hen is from nine to eleven. The 

 number is, however, of course, dependant on the size of both eggs 

 and hen ; an odd number is to be preferred, as being better adapted 

 for covering in the nest. Be sure that they are all fresh, and carefully 

 note down the day on which you place them beneath the hen. Never 

 turn the eggs ; the hen can do that better than you. About the 

 twelfth day of incubation, you may be enabled to reject such eggs as 

 are unfruitful. For this purpose, hold the egg beween your hands in 

 the sunshine ; if the shadow which it forms, waver, keep the egg, as 

 the wavering of the shadow is occasioned by the motion of the chick 

 within ; if it remain stationary, throw it away. If your eggs have 

 been recently laid, the chick will be developed earlier than otherwise ; 

 if they have been very fresh, you will, about the sixteenth day, if 

 you apply your ear to the egg, hear a gentle piping noise within ; if 

 the eggs have been stale, this will not be perceptible until about the 

 eighteenth day, and at this time the yolk, which had previously lain 

 outside, and around the chicken, will be gradually entering into the- 

 body of the bird. This selves as nourishment to the little prisoner, 



