g the basin up with the right hand
(taking care not to lose the sand), so that the mould falls into the
left hand.

The egg should then be gently allowed to fall back on the sand out of
the mould; if, however, it adheres, lightly scrape the plaster from
the edge of the mould, and then shake it out into the hollow of the
hand. If, however, the exact half of the egg has been immersed in the
sand, no such difficulty will arise; this shows how important is
exactness in the first position of the object from which a tasting is
to be taken.

The egg being removed and laid aside, the moulder casting must be
"trimmed;" that is, the sand must be brushed from the flat surface of
the mould with a nail-brush very slightly, without touching the
extreme and sharp edges where the hollow of the mould commences. Then
upon the broad edge from which the sand has been brushed, make four
equi-distant hollows (with the round end of a table-knife), like the
deep impression of a thimble's-end. These are to guide hereafter in
the fixing of the second half of the mould. The egg should now be
replaced in the casting, and the edge of the cast, with the holes,
thoroughly lubricated with sweet oil, laid on with a feather, or what
is better, a large camel-hair brush.

[FATHER AND MOTHER ARE KIND, BUT GOD IS KINDER.]

2541. Casting Second Half of Mould.

Into the small pudding basin from which the sand has been emptied,
place with the egg upper-most the half mould, which, if the operation
has been managed properly, should _fit_ close at the edges to the side
of the vessel; then prepare some more liquid plaster as before, and
pour it upon the egg and mould, and while it is hardening, round it
with the spoon as with the first half.

2542. Completion of Mould.

In due time remove the whole from the basin; the halves will be found
readily separable, and the egg being removed, the mould is ready to
cast in, after it has been set aside for an hour or two, so as to
completely harden. This is the simplest form of mould, and all are
made upon the same principle.

2543. Casting Egg in Wax.

The casting of an egg is not merely interesting as the first step in a
series of lessons, but as supplying a means of imitating peculiarly
charming objects, which the student of natural history tries almost in
vain to preserve. We shall proceed, then, with the dire