i6 



eigglp: poultry book 



through the shell. This may be done by holding the 

 egg between the eye and a strong light. Various con- 

 trivances are used to assist the eye. One of the most 

 simple, is made like a tin horn having a piece of soft 

 leather or rubber over the large end and a hole in it, 

 oval in shape, and a little smaller than the eggs to be 

 tested. Such a tester may be made of tin or card 

 board. 



To test an egg, grasp it Ijetwecn the thumb and 

 finger of the left hand and holding it large end up 

 against the aperture of the tester look directly through 

 it toward the light. While doing so revolve it slowly 

 to get a view from all sides and to observe the motion 

 of the embryo. 



Figure i illustrates a tester that any hand}- person 

 can make. The box is six inches square 

 by eighteen inches high, open at top with 

 a sliding door on one side. This ho'.ds a 

 lamp. Opposite the lamp flame is a hole 

 one and a half inches in diameter and 

 around this a washer cut from a rubber 

 Ijoot. Back of the lamp place a piece of 

 looking glass, and paint the rest of the 

 box inside a dull black. ^-^: '"^ 



Tig. 1. 



Have holes at bottom of Ijox to ven- 

 tilate lamp. 



A fresh egg looks like Figure 2, 

 almost perfectly clear. With a strong 

 light and a thin whitc-shellcd egg the 

 outline of the yolk can be seen. Eggs 

 with thick brown shells are difficult 

 to test. 



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