may make a presentable museum object, after such
extraction.

In all cases eggs should be thoroughly rinsed out with a solution of
six grains of corrosive sublimate to an ounce of rectified spirits of
wine. This may be sucked up into the bulb of the "egg-blower," and
thence ejected into the egg, which is to be rotated, and what solution
is left may then be sucked back and thrown away, or returned to the
bottle. Great care must be taken, however, that the mixture shall not
pass the bulb and be drawn up into the mouth, as it is, of course, a
deadly poison; the egg, being placed (hole downwards) on blotting
paper, is to be left until dry.

Those who object to poison may rinse their eggs out with water to
which has been added a few drops of strong essence of cloves. This is
agreeable to use, and appears to cleanse away all impurities.

A little label may finally be gummed over the orifice, and the
specimen is then ready for the cabinet; or, as labels will in time
fall off, however well they may have been previously gummed, it is
better to write a distinguishing number, and as much of the history of
its collection as is possible on the egg itself, the full history, of
course, being posted up in the note book. Labels may, however, be used
with great advantage on the divisions of the cabinet drawer which
separate one species of egg from the other.

Loose labels are not to be used on any account, as they often get
reversed and create confusion, and a collection thus treated is
brought into grave discredit. Eggs, when being sent any distance,
should be separately wrapped in cotton wool, and packed in a strong
box, any interstices being lightly filled with wool also. Sawdust or
bran should never be used as a packing medium, as the eggs shake
together and break each other in travelling.

For those who require coloured figures of eggs I must refer them to
Hewitson's "Eggs of British Birds," or Atkinson's "British Birds' Eggs
and Nests," a much cheaper, but very good little work; also to a new
work by Mr. H. Seebohm (the celebrated traveller in Siberia, etc.),
entitled, "A History of British Birds," with coloured illustrations of
their eggs.

PREPARATION OF MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS.--The same remark applies to this
as to aquaria (see Chapter XIII.). The treatment is so varied, the
objects so numerous, that books upon books have been written on it.
Every naturalist and curator, however, has to work sometimes with the
microscope; b