78 MONSTROUS EGGS. 



jected, when we are about selecting eggs to 

 place under a hen. 



The centenuum ovum, or cock's egg. as it 

 is called, without any yolk, I have never 

 seen, nor do I believe in its existence, for 

 the obvious reason that no egg can, by pos- 

 sibility, be formed without a yolk. In the 

 very smallest egg laid by a pullet, the germe 

 of the yolk can be detected. The Latin 

 name is derived from the absurd belief that 

 it is the hundredth or last egg that the hen 

 can lay. There is another malformation in 

 the egg, which has led to the belief that 

 snakes or worms are contained in them. 

 Dissection of these eggs has proved that the 

 supposed snakes or worms are nothing more 

 nor less than an unusual development of the 

 chalazse, or cords, which we have before 

 described. The last monstrosity we shall 

 advert to is the egg with a double shell; 

 but this is exceedingly rare, 



Some judgment of the sex of the future 

 chick has beefr^ attempted to be drawn from 

 the shape of the egg; and from the time 

 of Aristotle to the present day, it is sup- 



