BALANCING THE YOLK. 209 



sides. Thus in whatever direction the yolk may 

 be turned by the egg, the upper part containing 

 the germ will always present itself at the top, 

 the two chalazae at each side weighing it down, 

 and rendering it altogether impossible for it to be 

 otherwise than rightly placed. These weights or 

 chalazas are attached at each end of the egg to 

 the delicate membrane lining its interior. That 

 nearest the large end is the larger of the two. 

 When we remember to what diversity of position 

 a body of such a shape as an egg must always 

 be exposed, and when we consider, also, the 

 importance of the life-point in the egg being 

 kept in the closest apposition, during the early 

 hours of incubation, to the mother's breast, the 

 wisdom displayed in this simple and beautiful 

 arrangement will be made manifest. We shall 

 have occasion to notice, in a future page, the in- 

 genious application of the knowledge of this fact 

 in the structure of the egg, in the process of arti- 

 ficial incubation. 



A few general particulars concerning eggs may 



be added. The specific gravity of new-laid eggs 



varies from 1,080 to 1,090 ; but on being kept, a 



part of their watery contents evaporates, and the 



p 



