The Canary in the Egg
Separate an egg in the middle, as neatly as possible; empty it, and then with a fine piece of paper and a little glue, join the two halves together, having first put a live canary bird inside it, which will continue unhurt in it for sometime, provided you make a small pin-hole in the shell to supply the bird with air; have also, a whole egg in readiness. Present the two eggs for one to be chosen; put the egg, which contains the bird, next to the person who is to choose, and, for this purpose, be sure to select a lady; she naturally chooses the nearest to her, because, having no idea of the trick to be performed, there is no apparent reason to take the further one at any rate, if the wrong one be taken, you do not fail in the trick, for you break the egg, and say: “You see that this egg is fair and fresh, madam, so you would have found the other, if you had chosen it. Now, do you choose to find in it a mouse, or a canary-bird?” She naturally declares for the bird; nevertheless, if she ask for the mouse, there are means to escape: you ask the same question of several ladies, and gather the majority of votes, which, in all probability, will be in favor of the bird, which you then produce.