THEIR COLOUR, FORM, AND SEX. 105 



long or round ones, as many contend, experiment will easily 

 frustrate." 



Horace, Columella, and Pliny had the same notions re- 

 specting the shape of Eggs as are current now, but they ap- 

 plied them to eating, rather than hatching purposes. The 

 long eggs were better tasted, according to them, because they 

 contained Cocks : " Those which are laid round, produce a 

 female; the rest a male." Pliny, lib. x.,c. 74. 



