28 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



small physical structure of the bird, but there were 

 no indications of exhaustion. 



Whilst it is true that the quickening of an egg, 

 which results in the birth of a chick, is no more 

 marvellous a process or result than the embryotic 

 development of any creature endowed with the mys- 

 terious principle of life, yet there are some circum- 

 stances connected with it which make it a matter 

 of greater perplexity and wonder. Here is an oval 

 white body consisting of a calcareous shell, within 

 which there are some semi-fluid substances, consist- 

 ing mainly of albumen and water, without any signs 

 of life. In fact there is no life ; it is simply a mass 

 of dead, inanimate matter. Talk as much as we will 

 about the germinal principle involved in the struc- 

 ture of the egg, we are totally unable to recognize 

 it, or form any conception of its nature. There is 

 no evidence of the presence of any germ, or prin- 

 ciple of life whatever. The egg left to itself decays 

 like other organized substances, but with our assist- 

 ance in simply transferring it to a place where the 

 temperature is kept in a certain uniform condition, 

 in a few weeks the albumen, water, oil, and mineral 

 salts are transformed into a living chick, which 

 thrusts its little beak through the shell, and in ten 

 minutes is running about almost able to take care 

 of itself. Here is the development of life appar- 

 ently without the agency of the mother, and what 



