10 FISH HATCHIN-G. 



coagulate in an instant. I then add a 

 little common salt, and continue to boil the 

 eggs till they aU become quite detached from 

 the membrane and swim about in the water 

 loose like marbles ; if any adhere to the 

 membrane, they should be gently removed 

 by a soft brush or by shaking in the boiling 

 water. I then, when all the eggs are quite 

 loose, pour off the water and pour the eggs 

 into a meat dish, and dry them slowly either 

 in the sun or in the oven, the door of which 

 is left open to prevent their becoming baked 

 into lumps. I then weigh the whole mass 

 of th,e eggs, and put down the total weight 

 on paper. I then weigh out five grains from 

 the mass, and get them counted over care- 

 fully under a magnifying hand-glass on white 

 paper : this is ladies' work. 



