32 



INTERNAL ORGANS OF FOWLS 



Ovaries and Oviduct. The ovaries p and the oviduct q 

 are shown enlarged in Fig. 2. The ovaries a (Fig. 2) 

 are attached to the under side of the backbone, usually 

 on the left. The ovaries 

 and the oviduct are the 

 female organs of repro- 

 duction. The yolk of the 

 egg attains its full size 

 within the casing of the 

 ovaries, which, in good 

 laying hens, contain 

 yolks varying in size 

 from that of a small pin 

 head to that of the full- 

 grown yolk. As soon as 

 the yolk has reached its 

 full development, the 

 casing of the ovary, or 

 ovisac, as it is sometimes 

 called, opens and the 

 yolk passes into the ovi- 

 duct c. The yolk may or 

 L may not be fertilized by 

 ' the male element before 

 or just after entering the 

 oviduct. 



The oviduct varies in 

 length, and in some cases 

 it is nearly 2 ft. long. As 

 the yolk passes through 

 the oviduct it becomes 

 covered with albumen, of 

 which the white of the 

 egg is composed, and 

 with a double membrane, 

 or the lining to the egg- 

 shell. After the egg has reached its full size the shell is 

 formed about it in the oviduct. The passage of the egg 

 through the oviduct requires from 6 to 18 or 20 hr. 



FIG. 2 



