CHAPTER II. 



THE EGG. 



Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Old Proverb. 



Put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket. 



Mark Twain's Version. 



Careful and critical examination of an egg reveals 

 an arrangement of its contents in a series of layers as 

 seen in the illustration. 



Referring to the cut, A is the shell ; B is the 

 membrane adhering to the shell ; C is a second mem- 

 brane slightly adhering to B, except at the large end, 

 where the two separate and 

 form D, the air space ; E is 

 the first layer of the white 

 or albuminous part and is 

 in liquid form ; F is the 

 second layer, which is semi- 

 liquid, and G is the inner 

 layer ; H, H are the chal- 

 azae, or slightly thickened 

 membranes that unite the white to the membrane 

 enclosing the yolk, M. They form a ligament 

 that binds the parts together, and holds the yolk 

 suspended in the midst of the white or albumen. 

 I, J, K are very fine membranes surrounding the yolk ; 

 I, is the germ, and N is the germ sack or utricle ; a, 

 b, c are separate layers composing the yolk. The 

 germ, L, and germ sack, N, are suspended by the mem- 



