Sept. 1908. | 



258 



Live Stock. 



A further result of stimulating food is varied from the above when the 

 ova mature in excess of one a day. In place of falling into the passage in pairs, 

 as above, the two drop in separately but on the same day. This results in soft eggs, 

 not from the want of shell-forming material, but rather because the shells cannot 

 be formed as fast as the mature egg is ready for such covering. 



To over-feeding is also attributable the further irregularity of one perfect 

 egg being found within' another, and caused by irritation of the oviduct, which 

 contracting in front of the perfectly-formed egg instead of behind it, forces it 

 back until it meets another yolk, when the two join and again become coated with 

 the white- and the shell, thus producing another wonder. Other abnormalities are 

 occasionally seen, and particularly in the smaller poultry yards. Sometimes when 

 the ova are nearly exhausted by continuous laying, the secreting organs may be 

 most active, which results in small marble-sized but perfect-looking eggs, which 

 are merely a shell covering a portion of albumen. Such " eggs " when laid have 

 the peculiarity of not having been at any stage attached to the ovary, but are a 

 product only of the oviduct. 



To the internal fatness of the hen are due other eccentricities than those 

 mentioned, including the apparently paradoxical feat of laying rotten new-laid 

 eggs, this being a not infrequent occurrence. The egg, being unable to force its way 

 through the fatty oviduct, is retained two or three days near the mouth of this 

 organ, and, if a fertilized one, the heat of the hen's body tends to putrefy it, and 

 when ultimately laid it is in an addled condition. To other causes, but principally 

 diseased organs, is due a departure from the normal in the way of colour. A hen 

 which lays white or brown eggs, on rare occasions produces one almost black, while 

 at other times these vagaries much resemble the dark green of the emu's eggs, and, 

 in must instances, the shells are rough, wavy, corrugated, or otherwise irregular. 

 Then there are instances of foreign matter being found in eggs, clots of blood 

 beingnothing unusual. This is the result of the breaking of a blood-vessel internally. 



Fowls from whatever cause producing any of the above misshappeu or 

 otherwise faulty eggs should at one be got rid of, for although in some cases a 

 reduced diet may bring them back to their normal production, still the slightest 

 cause will frequently prompt the organs to their previous irregularities, the fowls 

 thus becoming unprofitable members of the flock. As has been seen the majority of 

 troubles mentioned are preventable ones, and largely due to the poultry keeper's 

 mistaken kindness of over feeding.- Gar den and Field. 



Brandmarks on Kandyan Cattle, 



By T. B. Pohath-Kehelpannala. 

 The ancient brandmarks of the cattle* belonging to the Kandyans were 

 generally symbolical of the distinctive caste, village, 01 family to which the owner 

 belonged. With respect to caste, the mark usually took the shape of some instru- 

 ment or article characteristic of the profession or occupation followed by the people 

 of the caste to which the owner of the cattle belonged, t 



In regard to village, there were certain especial marks which indicated that 

 the owner of the cattle belonged to a particular village. Some villages had their 

 peculiar distinguishing marks. All residents of a particular village were entitled 

 to brand their cattle with the mark indicative of that village, irrespective of caste 

 In older days, in addition to the village mark, the initial letter of the name of the 

 owner was also branded. 



* This includes buffaloes also. 



+ la Gaugaboda Pattu, Galle, the brand for the Uowijuma- Sinhalese is an ear of paddy. 



