2 28 HARGITT. [Vol. 1 1... 



of the Q.gg within the uterus and by its recession through the- 

 oviduct over the regions of the albumen and shell glands. 

 This might be effected without serious difficulty by a strong 

 antiperistaltic action of the oviduct, to use Schumacher's 

 phrase. 



As a motive for such retention I have suggested the proba- 

 bility of some unnatural conditions, such as fright, confinement, 

 etc. In the case of the ostrich referred to, this would seem 

 plausible, and in some of the cases coming under my own 

 notice, where the fowls had been confined within coops, such 

 might be a most likely cause. The unusually artificial con- 

 ditions of the ostrich might operate as a more or less perma- 

 nent obstacle to the egg-laying. That the egg in this case 

 had been retained for a considerable time within the uterine 

 duct must be evident, and if the several layers were of albumi- 

 nous secretion they could only have been deposited by succes- 

 sively passing over these glands. 



Concerning the egg in which development of the embryo had 

 gone forward as indicated, a similar process must have obtained, 

 as is evident both from the state of development attained, as 

 well as the second deposit of albumen and shell. It may not 

 be without plausibility that by some such process arose the 

 ovoviviparous habit common in many egg-laying animals. If 

 an egg may go forward in development for four or five days 

 under such conditions, why might it not be gradually extended 

 until chicks might be born instead of hatched .<* 



Concerning the ^g^ shown in Fig. 2, it is obvious that a dif- 

 ferent account must be given. The most obvious explanation 

 would seem to be that two eggs had been discharged from the 

 ovary within brief intervals, but not coincident, since we should 

 then have the not unusual phenomenon of a double-yolk Qgg, 

 yet so closely following each other that they became connected 

 by the albuminous secretions which would thus be continuous. 

 The first to descend would thus receive its full complement of 

 albumen, while the second would be scantily supplied owing to 

 the depleted condition of the glands following the first dis- 

 charge. But it will be noticed that by this account we should 

 have the first Qgg descending the oviduct broad end foremost,. 



