116 



Laying and Hatching. 



fertilised, and are consequently sterile, are sufficiently 

 transparent to allow the light to pass through, and look as 

 fresh eggs would if examined in the same manner. Such 

 eggs are usually termed ' clear.' These clear eggs are 

 perfectly good to eat ; but it is preferable to save them for 

 the food of the chickens when hatched. Throwing them 

 away is a wasteful proceeding." 



It is evident that setting two or more hens on the same 

 day is advantageous, as the " clear " eggs may be removed 



METHOD OF TESTING EQGS. 



from the whole of the nests, and the number in those that are 

 deficient made up from the other nests, a fresh batch being 

 placed under the hen the whole of whose eggs have been 

 removed. 



The conveyance of eggs for the purpose of hatching is 

 tolerably well understood by the most experienced breeders. 

 There is nothing equal to a good-sized basket in which they 



