164 Miscellanies . 



The ovary was of the usual size and appearance, and contained a 

 large quantity of eggs, perfectly natural, both in appearance and qual- 

 ity, except the three above named. 



As I am informed that in the eastern States you have not this del- 

 icacy, (the terrapin,) it may be well to state that the ovary, during 

 the winter, and at this season, is generally large and full of eggs, in- 

 closed, when full grown, within a very tender and soft shell or mem- 

 brane, hardly admitting of the correct application of this term ; when 

 not matured, this membrane is absent ; and the same ovary contains 

 always both kinds : in the former stage the eggs are long, in the lat- 

 ter round, and the yolk floating in a viscid albumen ; they are gene- 

 rally so closely compressed in the ovary as to appear like one mass ; 

 and when it is opened, having been previously boiled in that state, 

 they exhibit flattened and deeply excavated sides, the impress of 

 each other, such as you will perceive in two of the specimens sent ; 

 one of which my curiosity led me partially to break with a chisel and 

 mallet ; the knife could not accomplish it : I have sent of this the 

 scaly fragments. The third you will perceive is larger than the rest, 

 and not indented ; from which the inference must be drawn that its 

 growth and petrifaction happened first, and when the others were in 

 their soft and natural state : they all bear evident marks of recent 

 and continuing, although partial and irregular, accretion, since their 

 original formation. 



The exterior thin layer of these stones obviously represents the 

 outer thin membrane of the natural egg ; yet it has a yellowish tint; 

 whereas that membrane is naturally white : the next larger, which is 

 much thicker, was clearly the albumen, and is nearly white j the 

 large solid ball or nucleus, on which these two are formed, has con- 

 centric layers of a dull color, marking the limits of the yelk : the two 

 first are chiefly calcareous petrifactions, and almost wholly soluble 

 in dilute muriatic acid ; these are readily cut with a knife ; the ball 

 or nucleus is extremely hard, consisting of layers cemented by car- 

 bonate of lime, so intimately or firmly uniting them, that a keen 

 chisel is necessary for their division; a knife cannot penetrate it. 



What caused this petrifaction ? why so partial in its operation ? 

 three full grown eggs being alone changed into stone in the midst of 

 numerous others, in the same ovary, wholly clear of its influence : 

 why should not all the eggs in the ovary be obedient to the same laws 

 which governed these three ? 



What adventitious causes could have operated, without disturbing 

 the animal economy, which was, with the single exception named. 



