Birds' Eggs as Food 



was announced that 41,000,000 eggs, of a 

 total capital value of 430,619, had been dis- 

 tributed to base hospitals in France and at 

 home (Field, 25.1.19). 



In March 1917 the value of GULLS' eggs as 

 food was bruited about, and several questions 

 on the subject were asked in the House of 

 Commons. The attendant dangers of taking 

 the eggs of those species which nest on cliffs 

 proved insurmountable, and possibly the 

 difficulty of collection of the eggs of the 

 BLACK-HEADED GULL made this scheme im- 

 practicable. Nevertheless the Home Office, 

 acting under the advice of the Board of Agri- 

 culture, issued special orders removing pro- 

 tection, in certain counties, until June 2ist 

 from the eggs of the GUILLEMOT, RAZORBILL, 

 PUFFIN, BLACK-HEADED GULL, and other 

 GULLS. The main difficulty in connection 

 with the taking the eggs of GULLS and other 

 sea-fowl was the impossibility of guarantee- 

 ing that they were fresh ; for it was realised 

 that if incubated, even in the slightest degree, 

 the egg would be unsaleable. 



The relatively smaller numbers and more 

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