OSTRICHES. 131 



following the example of the hen ostrich — I gave the 

 eggs their quarter of an hour's cooling by allowing the 

 drawers to stand open ; also, as she does, I carefully 

 turned each egg. 



The regulation of the temperature was a matter of 

 some anxiety, -and enabled me — especially on first 

 undertaking the work — to form a very good idea of 

 the responsibilities of a vestal tending the sacred fire. 

 Some mischievous imp seemed to be perpetually at 

 work causing: that thermometer to indulsre in the 

 wildest vagaries. Perhaps just one degree of the re- 

 quired temperature would be wanting ; and though, 

 tor the best part of the morning, I had been coming 

 anxiously every ten minutes or so to look at the ther- 

 mometer, it refused, with all the perversity of "a 

 watched pot," to rise above 102°. Then at last, a little 

 off my guard, and absorbed in one of the numerous 

 other home duties, I inight possibly forget the incu- 

 bator's existence for a little while ; and, on suddenly 

 remembering and running to it, find that the treacher- 

 ous mercury had jumped up two or three degrees. 

 Then the drawers would have to be thrown open, and 

 the contents of several jugs of cold water wildly dashed 

 in through the opening at the top of the incubator — 

 and when at last, by still trembling hands, the ther- 

 mometer was readjusted in the said opening, it would 

 probably register as many degrees below as it had just 



been above 103°. T was away for three weeks 



during the time the incubator was in full work ; and 

 so great was the anxiety which haunted me, lest on 



