344 dr john davy's 



twice or thrice daily. Taken out on the 18th of June, they were found to have 

 gained as follows : — 



No. 1, ... 8.2 grs. I No. 3, ... 11-3 grs. 

 2, ... 8-3 „ I 



They were now put under a hen, with seven newly laid eggs. On the 9th of 

 June all the seven were hatched, but neither of the three. 



No. 1, when weighed, was found to have lost 308 grs. It sank in water. No 

 traces could be detected in it of an embryo. It contained a bright yellow emulsion, 

 a mixture of yolk and white, free from any unpleasant smell, of specific gravity 

 1036 ; it was neutral to test papers. The chalazse and membranes were shrunk 

 together. 



No. 2 had sustained a loss of 81 grs. Air procured from it was found to con- 

 sist of about 18 per cent, carbonic acid, 82 azote. Its contents were very offensive 

 and putrid, liquid and greenish, with a dark green clotted sediment. This under 

 the microscope exhibited corpuscles, varying in diameter from 1500 of an inch 

 to 1000; they were nearly circular, and contained greenish nucleoli. 



No. 3 had sustained a loss equal to 81-6 grs. It contained a yellowish emul- 

 sion of specific gravity 1035. Some of its white still remained in its membrane 

 in a thickened state. The fluid part had a putrid smell, but less offensive than 

 the preceding. 



3. On the 23d of June four newly laid eggs weighed as follows : — 



No. 1 weighed 966-1 grs. I No. 3 weighed 886-8 grs. 

 2 ... 7864 „ 4 ... 8304 „ 



They were put into water the same day — water deprived of air by the air- 

 pump — and were subjected to the action of the pump. No air came from the 

 water, but a good deal from the eggs. The pump was worked daily. On the 

 25th of June a little air still continued to be given off from the eggs. On the 27th 

 there was a cessation ; nor until the 19th of July did any more appear ; then 

 two or three bubbles were seen to rise from one of the eggs. Now taken out and 

 weighed, they were found to have gained as follows: — 



No. 1, ... 7-3 grs. No. 3, ... 7'6 grs. 



2, ... 7-0 



4, ... 8-2 



No. 1 was broken for examination. Its white appeared rather more liquid than 

 common. Its specific gravity was 1033. The cicatricula seemed somewhat 

 enlarged. The yolk was not apparently altered. There was no unpleasant smell 

 either from the white or the yolk. On the exterior of its shell, and of the shell 

 of the other three, there were minute opaque white spots, with a central aper- 

 ture, distinguishable by the naked eye ; the spots were a little depressed. The 

 appearance was suggestive of solution by a current of air (carbonic acid?) from 



