74 F. H. LATTIN, GAINES, N. Y. 



HOW TO BLOW AND PREPARE BIRDS' EGGS. 



Before commencing to blow most eggs remove all dirt 

 and unnatural stains with a soft cloth and warm water. 



The eggs of some species cannot be washed without 

 destroying the " bloom " while in others the characteristic 

 marking will wash away on account of the shell being so 

 calcareous. Hold the egg carefully but securely between 

 the thumb and fingers of one hand, while you gently twirl 

 the drill with those of the other. 



It is often necessary and generally advisable to start 

 the hole with a sharp needle. When the hole is of the 

 proper size, in small eggs it need not be any larger than the 

 diameter of a pin, while in an egg the size of a Robins's 

 a hole the diameter of a pin head is large enough. 



Invert the egg and hold it with the hole downwards 

 over a basin of water this will often save a desirable spec- 

 imen in case you should happen to drop it while blowing 

 place the tip of the blow-pipe near the aperture, never 

 Insert it unlesss the egg is large, blow steadily and contin- 

 uously, the contents will ooze out. 



After the egg is blown, rinse thoroughly with clean 

 water ; this can be easily done by taking a little water in the 

 mouth and sending it through the blowpipe into the egg, or 

 by placing the tip of the blow-pipe in a glass of fresh 

 w:iter, draw the pipe nearly full, inject into egg by blowing. 

 When rinsing large eggs it is often necessary to shake 

 thoroughly when partially full of water. 



