HATCHING. 39 



others. Some will, perhaps, attribute it to a faulty 

 impregnation ; but, we think, under the dry system this 

 can hardly be the case. Whatever the theory used to 

 account for it, the fact remains ; and all care and 

 provision should be taken to prevent a necessity 

 arising for taking so perilous a step. 



Should a deposit of sediment occur, it need not be 

 regarded, as it will do no harm whatever. When the 

 eggs are thoroughly " eyed," and the dark eye-spots 

 are seen quite distinctly when a few eggs are shaken 

 up in the glass tube, the water decanted and a fresh 

 quantity admitted, they may be safely washed (just for 

 the sake of appearance). To do this a small garden 

 syringe may be employed : it is filled with water, and, 

 the rose being kept under water, the piston is gently 

 pushed down and the process repeated ; this drives 

 the eggs into a heap at the other end of the trough ; 

 the zinc inner trough can then be lifted out and tilted 

 over a vessel of water ; the eggs can then be washed 

 under a tap, the supernatant water poured off, and the 

 process repeated until every egg is clean; zinc and trough 

 may be cleaned out and the washed eggs put in again. 



Should the purchase of " eyed ova ' : be made, any 

 fresh variety be introduced, or a greater stock be 

 required than the river itself will supply, they will 

 generally be received packed in boxes, either loose, in 

 wet moss, or enclosed in folds of muslin or mosquito 

 netting, with layers of wet moss above and below them. 



The tin has holes in the bottom, and must be put 

 into a vessel rather deeper than itself, and water must 

 be added ; when, on removing the lid and top layer of 

 moss, the water will work up through the holes in the 

 bottom and cover the eggs. If these be loose, as 



