104 ON EGGS: 



position of air-bag as it is possible for Eggs to be like each 

 other. So much for the over wise I" 



In short, the Bubble Theory, as far as I have seen, is pro- 

 perly described by its name; and there are, I believe, no 

 known means of determining beforehand $he sex of fowls, ex- 

 cept, perhaps, that Cocks may be more likely to issue from 

 large Eggs, and Hens from small ones. Knowing, however, 

 that the Egg of each Hen may be recognised, we have thus the 

 means of propagating from those parents whose race we deem 

 most desirable to continue. 



A correspondent of the Agricultural Gazette has recorded 

 another experiment : " During the last summer I wanted to 

 raise a stock of poultry from a favourite Hen and Cock. They 

 were of the black-breasted red Game breed. The Cock was 

 purely bred, but the Hen was a little crossed. The Eggs she 

 laid were of a deep buff colour, and as she was the only Hen I 

 had which laid yellow Eggs, they were easily collected. When 

 I had twenty-six Eggs, I put thirteen of the largest under a 

 brood Hen to be hatched ; one Egg got broken, the other 

 twelve had chickens in them : one, however, died in the shell, 

 and so the number was reduced to eleven. Of these one died 

 before I could ascertain its sex; of the ten remaining, eight 

 were cocks and two were pullets. The thirteen smaller Eggs, 

 I also put under a broody Hen, and she hatched me ten chick- 

 ens. Of these eight were pullets and two were Cocks. There 

 is no difference in the shape of the Eggs laid by the same 

 Hen ; in size they vary but little. I observe this peculiarity, 

 that although the Hen has yellow legs and the Cock black, yet 

 throughout four broods which I have had from the same Hen 

 and Cock this summer, every yellow-legged chicken has 

 proved a Cock, and every black-legged one a pullet." Sir 

 Thomas Brown was quite right : " that the sex is discernible 

 from the figure of Eggs, or that Cocks or Hens proceed from 



