24 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [ocr. 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- 
driine), 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 off 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 
eges that has long been known to chemists. Fremy and Valen- 
ciennes, in 1857, 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 
eges 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 perching and 
climbing birds. (Ann. chim. phys. [3] L. 138.) 
The subject seems to be worthy of further investigation. 
Dr. THomas Morona 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. Morone and the meeting 
adjourned. 
