1839.] On the Egyptian system of Artificial Hatching. 47 



A small oven worked by a single family on their own risk and 

 profit, would be free from these inconveniences, and no doubt would 

 remunerate them for their labour and expense. 



An oven for that purpose ought to be of a rectangular shape, made 

 of baked clay, 3 feet high and 3 feet broad, and from 4 to 6 feet long, 

 with a double roof, so that the fire might be spread evenly on the whole. 

 The lower roof should have a hole to allow of the heat passing into the 

 oven where the eggs are. The upper roof must have an aperture for 

 the smoke to issue, and if necessary to lessen the heat, and also for the 

 purpose of introducing a Ihermometer. This aperture should be made 

 like the lid of a box to lift up, for the greater convenience of removing 

 the ashes, and renewing the fire ; one of the walls of the oven should 

 be made to open to admit of the hands being introduced to remove and 

 shift the position of the eggs. 



This oven moreover must be kept in a closed room, out of the way 

 of any current of air ; while the room where the oven is placed would 

 be further useful for keeping the newly-hatched chickens till they gain 

 strength. 



Perhaps it would be an improvement if the oven were made with a 

 double wall an inch or two apart, and the space filled up with some 

 non-conductor of caloric, such as cork or triturated charcoal. 



I think that any potter could make such an oven for the sum of five 

 or ten shillings, and that this artificial hatching might thus be car- 

 ried on in almost every country house, on a small scale, at all seasons 

 of the year, particularly summer, with successful results. A high tem- 

 perature must of course be more favourable than a low one for this 

 process. In Egypt itself this fact is acknowledged by a common pro- 

 verb among the people, 



*-1~>>Hj lM:1 CLiy£\ CL>y^> cHj^iJ^ JAj J>».5I cL,^.£a£J i 



il The chicken of the bean (i. e. the chicken hatched at the season 

 of beans) eat and die ; the chicken of the mulberry eat and die ; but 

 the chicken of the apricot eat and thrive." The season for beans is in 

 February, and that of apricots in May. 



Besides this, a curious circumstance once occurred which still more 

 strongly proves that this is the best season for hatching. Three eggs 

 were forgotten, and left in a basket in July in the house of Mr. Aime 

 at Cairo ; these were hatched spontaneously, and produced three 

 chickens which thrived. Why should not then two or three hundred 

 in a small oven succeed ? 



