30 A POULTRY COMPENDIUM. 



skin and feathers. The first part formed is the eyes, 

 appearing as two black specks, one on each side of the 

 suspending cord at the large end ; next the skull bone 

 between them ; and then the neck, spine, legs and wings 

 in the order mentioned. In nine days there is a com- 

 plete circulation and life has begun ; in fourteen all the 

 white has been wrought into the growing chick. The 

 chords have become connected with the stomach and 

 from the navel protrude in a number of blood vessels, 

 enclosing the yolk in a net-work of finer ones. From 

 this yolk the chicken is nourished, the yolk being re- 

 converted' to blood. The blood vessels gradually contract 

 until the yolk is drawn into the chick, the navel closes, 

 the shell is cracked, and the chick emerges." 



"Ah!" but you say, "Mr. Sage, you have described 

 some processes but you have not unfolded the mystery. 

 The reason is still as obscure as it was in the begin- 

 ing." 



"But I have given you," he answers, "all that Science 

 knows or Philosophy teaches upon this subject." 



Then you exclaim — 



" Cease then thy vaunts, Philosophy, 

 To teach to man the laws of life ; 

 What worth thy boasted formulae, 

 Which have the ages set in strife. 

 If common things transcend thy ken 

 Daily observed by common men. 

 If when for knowledge we thus beg 

 Thou stumbleth blindly o'er an egg !" J 



We have anticipated a little, for, if ycu remember, 

 your hen had just laid an egg. She will have to lay 



