George W. Bartelmez ^o 



viously compressed it. You then see the yolk with chala/ae ahiiosi free, 

 except where at their ends they pass on both sides into the albumen, 

 all included in a large expanded egg-shaped sac, fairly firm and float- 

 ing on the surface of the water. If you cut into the surface gently, it is 

 possible to strip off from it a fairly thick whitish membrane. A new 

 membrane of the same kind is formed as often as you pour on water 

 or spirits of wine. 



§ 17 

 C 20 ] Concerning the fluid albumen. 



So long as the egg remains in the oviduct, the first or fluid albumen 

 is not present. Neither is it to be distinguished in eggs within the 

 uterus, even when they are already covered with a shell. The second 

 albumen at that time sticks to the shell membrane and no Ugamentum 

 albuminis is to be recognized at the more pointed end. The first albu- 

 men does not diffuse when the newly laid egg is opened under water 

 but, remaining ovoid in form and more transparent, it surrounds the 

 second albumen, although it is still at that time much more fluid. 

 The effect of atmospheric air seems to be of chief importance in the 

 formation of this albumen, as in the formation of a blood clot. Per- 

 haps even the air pressure draws the more fluid part from the inter- 

 stices of the lamellae of the second albumen toward the periphery. 

 It is certain that before the more fluid part has been separated from it, 

 the second albumen is much more readily penetrated by fresh water 

 in ^vhich it is placed and the lamellar structure is brought out. The 

 fluid albumen possesses a very gieat plasticity, as appears w^hen you 

 open the egg under fresh water and after it has diffused it promptly 

 coagulates into exceedingly delicate films and fibers. 



If you wish some pleasant amusement, break an egg into a flat dish 

 without adding any water; the fluid albumen which has spread over 

 the bottom of the dish is easily distinguished from the thicker albu- 

 men surrounding the egg. You may then suck up part of the former 

 in a slender tube and drop it into fresh water or a solution of galls 

 diluted with water, or you may pour it so that it settles slowly to the 

 bottom. Then the most exquisite saccules, tubes, membranes, cells, 

 and fibers are produced, which you can hardly differentiate from true 

 organic structures, and the process goes on to the point where natin e 

 seems to build up structures of her own. 



§ 18 



Concerning the origin of the chalazae and 



their mechanical use. 



While the yolk is being invested with albumen in the oviduct, it is 

 moved along gradually until it reaches the isthmus. Its progress is not 

 like that of the intestinal contents propelled by muscular walls. The 



