STALE EGGS. 239 



Q. Why do country people touch the thick end 

 of an EGG with their TONGUE, to know if it be STALE 

 or not? 



A. The thick end of an egg always 

 contains a little air (between the shell 

 and the white) ; but, when the egg is stale, 

 the white shrinks, and the air expands. 



Q. How can the TONGUE tell from this, whether 

 the egg be STALE or FBESH laid ? 



A. As air is a very bad conductor, if 

 the egg be stale, it will feel much warmer 

 to the tongue, than if it be new-laid. 



Q. Why will the big end of an egg feel 

 WARMER to the tongue, because it contains more AIR ? 



A. As air is a bad conductor, it will 

 draw off the heat of the tongue very 

 slowly, and, therefore, appear warm ; but 

 when there is only a very little air 

 in the egg (as the white is a pretty 

 good conductor), the heat of the tongue 

 will be more rapidly drawn off, and the 

 egg appear colder. 



Q. Why is the large END of an EGG CRACKED, 

 when put into a saucepan to boil ? 



A. To let the air out: if the large 

 end were not cracked, the air (expanded 

 by the heat) would enter the white of the 

 egg, and give it an offensive taste. 



