The Egg. 17 



into bone, flesh, blood, feathers, etc., as well as the carbona- 

 ceous matter which also serves as food, but she must derive 

 from some source a large proportion of lime, with which she 

 incloses the substances provided by her for the formation of 

 the future chick ; and this work is continued daily until her 

 period of rest or renewal arrives, which we term moulting. 



What is an egg ? If one could separate the constituent ele- 

 ments of an egg, and arrange them for inspection, there would 

 be a variety displayed that but few are aware of. When the 

 shell of an egg of normal size is taken off, and the contents 

 are separated into their several parts, it will be seen that 

 they consist of carbonic acid, pure lime, and water of crys- 

 tallization. The white (or albumen) contains about 84 per 

 cent, of water, 12^ per cent, of albumen, i per cent, of 

 mineral matter, and 2>^ per cent, of sugar. In the yolk 

 will be found about 52 per cent, of water, 45 per cent, of oil, 

 and one per cent, each of albumen, coloring matter, and min- 

 eral matter. The mineral matter consists of soda, sulphur, 

 potash, magnesia, lime, as well as substances in combination, 

 such as phosphates, common salt, etc., with such gaseous mat- 

 ter as chlorine, oxygen and hydrogen, all in combination. 

 The total estimated amount of the various substances compos- 

 ing an egg, given in round numbers, may be placed at 650 

 grains of water, 80 grains of albumen, 135 grains of oil or 

 fat, 26 grains of sugar or coloring matter, and 10 grains of 

 mineral matter, not including the shell. 



The arrangement of the parts of an egg is familiar to all. 

 The yolk is suspended in the albumen, held and firmly bound 

 to the shell by two strong cords, which permit the yolk to float 

 on the top of the albumen without regard to the position of the 

 egg. The hen is capable of producing eggs that are sterile, as 

 nature has so constructed her that when under certain condi- 

 ditions the food is transferred to the eggs, and hence the male 

 is in no manner necessary to her in that respect, his function 

 being simply to impart life to the egg while it is on its passage 

 along its regular channel. There are certain stages of the 



