HATCHING THE EGGS. I49 



hatching-troughs,* and pour one layer evenly over the 

 moss.f This can be done with a spoon, or still better, 

 perhaps, as Green suggests, with a ladle, the mouth 

 of the ladle in pouring being made to rest on the rim 

 of the box under water,J so that the eggs will not 

 come to the air at all. 



One layer of eggs having been placed, put in anoth- 

 er thin layer of moss. This layer, as also the others 



filled with shallow circular trays about an inch deep, all of the 

 same size, resting one upon another, and of a sufficient diameter 

 to fit nicely to the inner wall of the can. Each one of these shallow 

 trays or pans has a circular hole through the centre to admit a 

 movable iron rod, which runs from the top of the can to the bot- 

 tom of the last pan, to which it is fastened. The eggs are packed 

 in moss in the shallow pans, and each pan as it is packed is 

 strung on to the perpendicular rod, as beads are strung on u 

 string. The first one, of course, going to the bottom of the can, 

 the next resting on it, and so on till the top of the can is reached. 

 The upper end of the rod now serves as a handle, by which all 

 or any number of the pans can be raised at once out of the can, 

 and by unstringing the pans, so to speak, each one with its con- 

 tents can be examined. 



* Any strainer of convenient shape will do to take out the 

 eggs with. If they are much scattered, first collect them to- 

 gether in a heap with the feather. A skilful person will take 

 them out safely with a large table-spoon. 



t Theodore Lyman recommends placing each layer of eggs in 

 a fold of mosquito-netting, to keep them from mixing with the 

 moss, and so facilitate the unpacking of them. This is a great 

 improvement. By all means use the mosquito netting. Stationary 

 racks are also sometimes placed above each layer to catch the 

 pressure of the supervening eggs and moss. 



t All moving of eggs should be done under water when prac- 

 ticable. 



