A MARVELLOUS EGG,

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1955, 27 September 1888, Page 3

A MARVELLOUS EGG,

Tho Chineeo certainly excel In tbo patioDCß wiih whioh they cr n struct dallodte piccaa of m^ohftnifin, no more m»rveUona txanplo o which can well bo imagined thun tho egK of whloh tho fnllowln desoription ia given m tho "New Orleans Tlmeß Domr cral" : —

It. ia bat llttlo lnrger than a turkoy'd eprg, and to tho onw ard appearonoo, nothing but ouch an egg »a tntgh bo picked np In a form yard. But lnßide of the shell thero is such a uellcato moohaniam than an accurate desctipllon of it ia noil nigh impossible, ond to get a fair idra of tho limita to whloh human skill may reach it ie nocessury 'o(O) this luarvel,

Tho cgg-abell ia divided Into two parts, bat so olcsely and ski fa'ly are thoy joined that tho n»ked eye falls to discover the line of juno Hon. Tho cloy works by which the different pirta are opsrated are a lot cf mlornBoop!o springs and diraloutlvo whce'a, bo tnivll that the largest of tho lot hardly rivala In alza thcsa Braall bangles which are used m gold laoa embroldory

The arrangement la such that onoo In eaoh hour the two sbollß, which are hinged at tho b»ao, fly apart with a. Bprlcg, displaying to view a gorgeous tulip, bo artistically and trathfoly colored that one can hardly be'ievo th»t it haa not been plnoked from a fljwer-bed Instead of being a production of art. The petala of the tulip slowly unfold, opening one after the other until the flower is fall-blown.

Within it stands a weo church, with belfry, on the outside of which Is a email thl plate, wbere the tiniest hands point tha hour. The latter ara so very smell that pieced next to them, the finest needle seems monstrous. Tho hoar strikes with a fairy-like tinkling, the church slowly revolves on its axis, when the rear oomes to view, oxposlng the worka to sight. Then the petals of the tulip fold togotber again, tho shells cejolo, and for another hoar the whole seems to the uninitiated beholder nothing but a common egg.