NEST EGGS. 63 



for the hens soon pick it to pieces. The best 

 substitute is a piece of wood turned to the 

 proper size and shape, and painted white : 

 these may be procured of any turner for 

 about two cents apiece. In France, it is 

 usual to employ artificial eggs, of pottery, 

 or baked earth glazed, and these are un- 

 doubtedly the best that can be employed. 

 Those living in the vicinity of a brickyard 

 or pottery may obtain them upon easy terms. 

 After all, it is very doubtful whether any 

 nest, egg is necessary, or even desirable. 

 Where rats are troublesome, it offers too 

 tempting a bait to leave a real egg ; and un- 

 less a hen has selected a very suitable and 

 safe situation, where a nest egg might in- 

 duce her to return to the same spot, and 

 where she would finally hatch, I am not 

 sure that it is worth while to leave a nest 

 egg. One of my neighbours, who keeps a 

 yard of more than a hundred fowls, uses no 

 nest egg whatsoever, and is very certain 

 that there is no difference in the quantity of 

 eggs annually collected. 



There is said to be reason even in roast- 



