94 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



large yield per annum. Plymouth Rocks, eight to the pound, lay 

 one hundred per annum. Houdans, eight to the pound, lay one 

 hundred and fifty per annum ; non-sitters. La Fleche, seven to 

 the pound, lay one hundred and thirty per annum ; non-sitters. 

 Black Spanish, seven to the pound, lay one hundred and fifty per 

 annum. Dominiques, nine to the pound, lay one hundred and 

 thirty per annum. Game fowl, nine to the pound, lay one hun- 

 dred and thirty per annum. Crevecceurs, seven to the pound, lay 

 one hundred and fifty per annum. Leghorns, nine to the pound, 

 lay from one hundred and fifty to two hundred per annum. Ham- 

 burgs, nine to the pound, lay one hundred and seventy per an- 

 num. Polish, nine to the pound, lay one hundred and fifty per 

 annum. Bantams, sixteen to the pound, lay sixty per annum. 

 Turkeys, eggs five to the pound, lay from thirty to sixty per an- 

 num. Ducks' eggs vary greatly with different species, hut from 

 five to six to the pound, and from fourteen to twenty-eight per 

 annum, according to age and keeping. Geese, four to the pound, 

 lay twenty per annum. Guinea fowls, eleven to the pound, lay 

 sixty per annum. Large eggs have generally a thicker shell than 

 small ones. By comparison with eggs in former times, those of 

 improved breeds of fowls of the present day have gained one 

 third in weight. 



Exceptionally large hens' eggs are often met with. Thus, in 

 the journal " Land and Water " for June 16, 1877, a Cochin-China 

 fowl's egg is recorded which weighed one quarter of a pound and 

 measured eight and five eighth inches lengthwise, six and a half 

 inches in circumference. That of a Dorking weighing seven 

 ounces measured seven and a half inches round the middle and 

 nine and a half inches across the ends. Another weighed ten and 

 a half ounces, and measured eight inches round the center and 

 twelve and a half inches across the ends. 



In the " Birmingham Mercury ". of May 9, 1857 : 



A half-bred Cochin-China hen belonging to Mr. Campbell, carter, of Great 

 Croft Street, Darlaston, is stated during the past few weeks to have laid eleven 

 extraordinary eggs of an enormous size, each weighing upward of five ounces, 

 and one when just laid weighed not less than seven ounces. On one being broken 

 another perfect egg, of the usual size, was found inside, which led to seven being 

 broken with the same results. Around the one weighing seven ounces (being the 

 tenth egg) a third shell and egg had begun to form. Several of these eggs are 

 whole, and by carefully handling them the motion of the inner eggs may be per- 

 ceived. Two of the inner eggs are also preserved, and numbers of people have 

 been to see them, and have expressed themselves highly gratified at such an 

 extraordinary phenomenon. The hen is not above the middle size, being about 

 four and a half pounds in weight. 



Many eggs are laid naked, dry, and smooth ; others are im- 

 pregnated with a greasy, glutinous substance. The latter are 



