266 EGGS OF HENS. 



caufe of the putrid change in eggs, and that to prefer ve them, 

 it is not fufficient to cover them with greafe or oil, as this 

 learned man recommends, fince in the experiment mentioned 

 above the unfecundated eggs did not fpoil, though they loft 

 confiderably by evaporation. The fecundation, by the prin- 

 ciple of life which it communicates to the germ, expofes the 

 eggs to many accidents which do not take place with thofe in 

 which the male has had no (liare. 

 Caufes of the M. Parmentier particularizes fome of thefe accidents. Some 

 fpoilingof eggs, of them arife from the commencement of the developeraent of 

 the germ. Sometimes it is enough if feveral hens lay iheir 

 eggs in the fame neilj for the egg which is fiift laid in it, par- 

 taking in fuccedion, and for fome hours, of the heat of the 

 hens which follow each other, undergoes a fpecies of incuba- 

 tion which excites the vitality of the germ, and this egg be- 

 comes changed, though it is but recently laid. It is thus that 

 eggs of the fame age appear frequently todiflfer in their frefli- 

 nefs. At other times the change in the egg may arife from 

 the fecundating germ being killed, either by thunder, or in 

 the conveyance, by the jolting of the carriage or the rolling of 

 the vefle!, or by the lapfe of time. When the germ is once 

 dead it corrupts, and communicates the corruption to that 

 Utility of im- vvhich furrounds it. This theory appears to explain one me- 

 merfing the eggs (^Qfj T made ufe of fucccfs fully for prefervins: CiTSS even when 

 for a {hort time „ i . , -. rn ■ i • .. r , rr 



in boiling water, ^^^i*"^^^®" ' it coniilts m plunging them for a couple ol fe- 



conds into boiling water. It is knowfi that by this means they 

 become fufceptible of being prefervcd for feveral months, if 

 they are afterwards kept in a cool place, or in fait, M. Par- 

 mentier fufpefls that the utility of this procefs depends on the 

 deftruclion of the vitality of the germ by the boiling water. 

 Eggs laid atfca Mariners aflfert that eggs laid at fea keep belter than others, 

 keep longer than ^j-^y ^qj jj^j^ arife from the hens on board a fliip having no com- 

 munication with cocks? For the fame reafon the diminiflied 

 vigour of the cocks in our poultry yards, in autumn, may be 

 one caufe of the eggs laid in that feafon being more capable^f 

 being kept than thofe of the firft laying, to which may be added, 

 that the hens are at that time fed more with grain and lefs with 

 herbage. 

 R,cquirjt:?s for From thefe obfervatlons, M. Parmentier thinks that the firil 

 keeping eggs condition towards obtaining eggs capable of being preferved 



ana 



