24 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [OCT. 26, 



October 26, 1891. 



Stated Meeting. 



Dr. a, a. Julien in the chair. About forty persons present. 



The minutes of the previous meeting (October 19th) were read 

 and approved. 



The Eggs of the Plover. 



Dr. H. C. Bolton stated, when in England last summer he 

 noticed that the eggs of the common plover or Lapwing {Chara- 

 dri'inse), eaten as a delicacy, have a peculiar appearance when 

 hard-boiled, the white remaining quite transparent and permitting 

 an unobstructed view of the yelk within. 



This fact so commonly known to English epicures does not seem 

 to be familiar to all ornithologists. Occasional mention of similar 

 phenomena is found however. Mr. George W. Peck, in a work 

 entitled "Melbourne and the Chincha Islands" (New York, 1854), 

 describes the Guano Islands oif the coast of Peru, and speaking of 

 the myriads of birds says: "The Cholos climbed the precipices 

 after eggs like so many monkeys. They obtained a great many, 

 and we had omlets made of them which were excellent; in boiling 

 or frying them the white remains transparent" (page 186). For 

 this reference Dr. A. R. Ledoux should receive thanks. 



These facts point to a peculiar condition of the albumen in certain 

 eggs that has long been known to chemists. Fremy and Valen- 

 ciennes, in 18.5'7, found that there are three conditions of albumen 

 differing in chemical properties, yet identical in composition. The 

 first is coagulated by heat becoming opaque, and is precipitated by 

 nitric acid. The second also coagulates on heating, but remains 

 transparent. The third is not affected by heat nor by nitric acid. 

 The first condition exists, according to these French authors, in the 

 eggs of different species of gallinaceous birds; the second is peculiar 

 to the eggs of swimming and wading birds, and the third is peculiar 

 to the eggs of predaceous birds and of some kinds of })erchiug and 

 climbing birds. {Ann. chini. phi/s. [3] L. 1.38.) 



The subject seems to be worthy of further investigation. 



Dr. Thomas Morong was then introduced, and delivered the 

 opening lecture of the public course entitled " Paraguay, the Land 

 and the People," illustrated by lantern views. At the close of the 

 lecture a vote of thanks was tendered Dr. Morong and the meeting 

 adjourned. 



