PREPARING POULTRY PRODUCTS 473 



less viscous. While the yolk maintains its relative position 

 with reference to the poles of the egg in a new-laid egg, it 

 may move up or down in an egg showing heat. At first it 

 becomes loosened on the side toward the large end of the 

 egg and later from the other side. In an advanced stage of 

 weakness, the yolks may appear swollen, caused by the 

 absorption of water from the albumen. 



2. Shrunken Eggs. — These eggs are easily distinguished 

 before the candle by the size of the air cell. The shrink is 

 caused by the evaporation of moisture through the shell. 

 This may be caused by a comparatively short holding in a 

 warm, dry atmosphere, or by holding for an extended time 

 under quite favorable conditions. 



3. Watery Eggs. — The watery egg is quite similar to the 

 heated egg, save that in addition the inner shell meriibrane 

 has become ruptured at the large end of the egg, allowing the 

 contents to escape into the space occupied by the air cell, 

 giving a movable air cell. 



4. Liver Spots. — Somewhat frequently the rupture of a 

 bloodvessel in the oviduct or the sloughing off of a piece of 

 tissue or membrane causes the appearance of foreign matter 

 on the yolk or in the albumen, which appears as a spot before 

 the candle. This should properly be classed among the 

 physical defects. It is not a mark of deterioration, but is a 

 condition existing in the egg when it is laid. As it is situated 

 in the edible portion, it is classed among the defects in food 

 quality. 



5. Grass Eggs or Green Whites. — ^Frequently in the spring 

 a condition of the albumen of the egg is met with that causes 

 eggs to be referred to as "grass eggs" or "green whites." 

 This has usually been attributed directly to the increased con- 

 sumption of greeness by the layers because they are likely to 

 appear with the product of the spring lay. From the meager 

 evidence at hand, it appears probable that this condition is 

 due to an infection by a pigment-forming organism and due 

 only indirectly, if at all, to the increased consumption of 

 green feed.' 



* The pigment-forming organism has been isolated by the Bureau of 

 Chemistry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



