EGGS.
Balza, . Amu. Uovo, IT.
Matte, Tetti, Gadda, OAN. OVUM, LAT.
Ki-lwan, . . . . CurN. Huey°, SP.
Ki-tezo, Ki-tan, . „ Matta, TAIL CEufe, FR. Gadda, TEL Botzirn, . . . . BED. Zimurta, . . . Tunic.
Unda, HIND.
Eggs as food articles are in varied estimation in the East Indies. Hindus have a religious objection to eggs. Their sacred books class both fowls and eggs in the category of unclean things, aud no strict II indu will touch anything so unholy, on any possible pretext. With Mahomedans they are largely eaten, usually in the fonn of omelet. The Europeans in the East Indies adhere to the cuatomm of their race. Eggs aro used in wonship by the women of the Kachari, and divinations by the Kluissya race. Fowls' eggs are largely consumed by the Chinese couriers or postmen, who take them nearly raw ; China they aro seldom boiled and eaten as in Europe.
Hatching of fowl& egga and eggs of fillies is largely practised by several nations. Ducks' eRs are artificially hatched in China in large quantities, particularly in Chusan at Fa tee, and P'oeo-tai shuee and Nam-tong near Canton.
In Chu.san, every spring, thousands of ducks' eggs are hatched by artificial heat. The establishment is situated in the valley on the north side of the city of Ting-hae. The hatching house is a kind of long shed, with mud walls, and thickly thatched with straw. Along the ends and down one side of the building are a number of round straw baskets, well plastered with mud, to prevent them from taking fire. In the bottom of each basket there is a tile placed, or rather the tile forms the bottom of the basket ; upon thia the fire acts,—a small fireplace being below each basket. Upon the top of the basket there is a straw cover, which fita closely, and which is kept shut whilst the process is going on. In the centre of the shed aro a number of large ahelves placed one above another, upon which the eggs are laid at a certain stage of the process. the eggs are brought, they are put into the baskets, the fire is lighted below them, and a uniform heat kept up, ranging from 95° to 102° ; but they regulate the heat by their own feelings, and it will therefore vary consider ably. In four or five days after the eggs have been subject to this temperature, they are taken carefully out, ono by one, to a door, in which a number of holes have been bored, nearly the size of the eggs ; they are then held against these holes, and the Chinamen look through them, and are able to tell whether they are good or not. If good,
they are taken back, and replaced in their former quarters ; if bad, they are of course excluded. In nine or ten days after this, that is, about fourteen days from the cominencement, the eggs are taken from the baskets, and spread out on the shelves. Hero no fire heat is applied, but they are covend over with cotton and a kind of blanket, under which they remain about fourteen days more, when the young ducks burst their shells, and the shed teems with life. These shelves are large, and capable of holding many thousands of eggs; and when the hatching takes place, the sight is not a little curious. The natives who rear the young ducks in the surrounding country know exactly the day when they will be ready for removal, and in two days after the shell is burst the whole of the little creatures are sold, and conveyed to their new quarters.
In the East, during the hot summer months, some I of the pond fish (estivate in the mud, where they I await the advent of the succeeding year's rains. As soon as the monsoon bursts, the ground becomes saturated, and fish are perceived dispersing In all directions. In a very few days fry aro also dis covered in every little piece of water, while the time which elapses between the commencement of the rains and the appearance of the little fish does not seem to be sufficient if they have to be de posited by the mother, fertilized by the father, and hatched out in the usual course. It seems probable that the eggs may have been in the mud, which retarded their hatching in the same manner as ice acts.
Salt is obtained by the 'Government of India from the Sambhur salt lake in Rajputana, which overflows during the rains, and when the waters subside, a deep incrustation of salt is deposited OD its shores for several miles around. In the water of the lake is a peculiar form of crustacea, said to be Artemia salina. These are about half an inch in length, are provided with numerous feet, while between the body and tail there exists a small sac full of eggs. These vary in colour from a pale fawn to a brilliant crimson ; and as the brine approaches saturation they (lie off, but before dying they deposit their eggs, which are carried by the water to the edge of the lake, where immense layers, upwards of an ineh in thickness, are found. These layers of eggs are subjected to the intense heat of the hot season, and are hatched at the commencement of the annual rains.—F. Day.