EVOLUTION OF THE CHICK. 171 



side. When the upper portion is wholly detached, 

 it is sometimes thrown to a considerable distance; 

 but it often happens also that it is thrown into a 

 very singular position, and is found placed within 

 the other portion, as one cup may be set within 

 another. This circumstance has been observed to 

 arise from the chick, just escaped, having the upper 

 portion of the- shell immediately before him, and 

 pushing it back with his feet into the under portion 

 without any necessity or design. " A young duck- 

 ling,'' says Reaumur, " which I observed just as it 

 was striving to separate the two parts of the shell 

 entirely, showed me that it had recourse., in order to 

 this, to methods like those used by chickens and 

 probably by all other birds for the same purpose. 

 The duckling's shell was at most fractured in two- 

 thirds of its circumference, but the fracture being 

 wide suffered me to see that the bill was under the 

 right wing, while the little creature was lifting at the 

 forepart of the shell on the side where it did not 

 resist, because there all its fastenings were broken, 

 and by these means it forced the shell to break on 

 the side where it was yet entire/' 



Positions of the Shell after the escape of the Chick. 



4 When the chick," Reaumur continues, " has at 

 length been able to turn up or heave off sufficiently 

 the forepart of the shell to procure itself a door, it 



