ON THE EGG. 263 



is tasteless. In the midst of the white lies the yolk, suspended 

 at its poles by twisted membranous filaments, called chalazce, 

 formed from the albumen, and twisted by rotations of the yolk. 

 The yolk is composed mainly of a series of cells or globules filled 

 with oily nutritious matters for the sustenance of the embryo. 



The edibility of eggs : Hunger must first of all have impelled 

 man in his quest for food to break an egg. The most of birds' 

 eggs are edible, but all are not agreeable. "Which are the best ? 

 Those of the common fowl ; and of them, those that are large, 

 long, and fresh. How good these are at table who will deny ? 

 Next to them are the eggs of the pheasant, the partridge, the 

 quail, the turkey, the guinea fowl, and pea fowl ; the pigeon 

 (tame and wild), the duck, the goose, the plovers, and the guil- 

 lemots. Doubtless the eggs of the ^piornis and Moa were 

 delicious, judging from the clean feeding of the birds. 



The eggs of the various races of Silkworms vary in colour and 

 shape, being round, elliptical or oval. (Darwin, " Variation of 

 Animals and Plants under Domestication"). Ant's eggs are 

 white or yellowish and somewhat elongated. (Sir J. Lubbock, 

 "Ants, Bees, and Wasps"). 



In conclusion, to give some idea of the value of eggs imported 

 into Great Britain. — I quote from the " Economist : " "In the 

 year 1892 the value was £3,793,018." The value of those laid 

 in Great Britain I do not know. 



Lecttjee, 'No. 2. — Frogs and Tadpoles. By Prof. M. C. Pottee, 

 M.A., F.L.S., ETC., Feb. 18th, 1893. 



Peehaps some of the most interesting problems of Natural His- 

 tory are those connected with the study of Embryology ; that, 

 is, the study of the gradual evolution of animal and vegetable 

 forms from their initial stage to the time of their complete 

 development. 



. Progs and Tadpoles have been chosen as the subject of this 

 evening's lecture, partly because they are fairly low in the scale 



