40 BIEDS'-NESTING. 



"cake" about the hole in the egg, becoming so firmly 

 attached that one can hardly remove the particles 

 without marring or breaking the shell. A better 

 plan is to set the eggs, after rinsing, hole downwards, 

 on a blotting-pad. But an improvement on this, again, 

 has been suggested in the substitution of a soft, 

 folded towel for the blotting-paper. This not only 

 absorbs the drainage of the eggs, but on its yield- 

 ing surface you can roll them about gently, so as to 

 dry every portion of the outside without rubbing, 

 which is likely not only to destroy the "bloom" of 



Fig. 4. 



an egg, but even to rub off the colors, when freshly 

 laid, as previously mentioned. 



In all cases, set the eggs that have been lately 

 collected aside in a dark place for a few> days before 

 putting them into the cabinet. 



The contents of some eggs may frequently be re- 

 moved best by aid of a syringe, which is also very 

 useful for purposes of rinsing ; this, too, should be 

 made of nickel. The ring at the top should be large 

 enough to admit the thumb, for the instrument must 

 be worked with the right hand, while the operator 

 holds the egg in the left. It frequently happens that 



