1906.] 



Artificial Incubation. 



205 



ducklings hatched numbered 4,631, a percentage of 73 "16, or 

 2'66 per cent, less than in the previous year, but 3" 16 per 

 cent, above the average for 1903-4. The season was thus 

 not quite so favourable as in 1904-5, yet such an average 

 will be regarded by poultry breeders as satisfactory, for 

 hatchings took place in every month of the twelve. As shown 

 by Table II. and Diagram 11., fertility was highest in November, 

 1905, and lowest in February, 1906, whilst hatching results 

 were highest in September, 1905, and lowest in August, 1905, 

 From these results no definite data can be obtained, except 

 that with an increased number of hatchings the tendency to 

 a lower average will be manifest, especially if more machines 

 are worked in the same building. 



TABLE IL— FERTILITY OF EGGS. 



Month. 



No. of 

 Hatches. 



No. of 

 Eggs. 



No. 

 Fertile. 



Percentage 

 of 



Fertility. 



Percentage 

 of 



Fertile Eggs 

 Hatched. 



1905. 













April 



12 



1,163 



985 



84-68 



78-57 



May 



12 



1,182 



1,059 



89-59 



76-58 



June.,. 



10 



936 



767 



81-94 



67-53 



July 



5 



483 



417 



86-33 



7578 



August 



8 



607 



436 



71-18 



64-68 



September ... 



3 



28c; 



242 



84-91 



83-47 



October 



2 



137 



109 



79-56 



71-56 



November ... 



3 



114 



no 



96-49 



75-45 



December ... 



6 



240 



174 



72-5 



79-88 



1906. 













January 



4 



224 



1 8c 



80-35 



75-0 



February 



8 



943 



649 



68-82 



66-41 



March 



. 16 



1,476 



1,202 



81-16 



72-96 



The highest and lowest percentages of fertile eggs hatched 

 by each class of machine during the twelve months were as 

 follows : — 



Class of Machine. 



Percentage of Fertile Eggs Hatched. 



Highest. 



Lowest. 



A 



94-59 



46-66 





B 



84 52 



44*82 





C 



88-06 



52-0 





D 



85-71 



50-5 





E ... 



76-36 



70-0 





F 



80-0 



34-78 





