lo o?{3\ciTHOLogr. Book j. 



Chap. III. 



Of the Generation of 'Birds. 



2rds EgSS ° f A LL Birc k are oviparous, that is bring forth Eggs, and not live Young. This 

 l\ though it be common to Serpents, Fifties, and In(e&s 5 yet in Birds the figure 

 i- A of the Eggs, and the brittlenefs of the Shell, and the diftin&ion of White 

 and Yolk, and the manner of Incubation are peculiar. The Eggs of all Birds, if the 

 exteriour bark be pilled off,are white, 

 iien-birds It is moft probable, that Hen-birds have within them from their firft formation all 



!he V bfgiXng th< l E gg s > ^ c y ftla11 afterward lay throughout their whole lifes time 3 fo that when 

 all the Eggs their clufter of Eggs is wholly (pent, they ceafe breeding, and become effete : as An- 

 vv Cy di Cer " gdW Mbatim hath obferved of Vipers. For we our felves have found in Birds that 

 war s ay. Dree d only once, or at moft but twice in a year, a lump of feed-eggs ( as I may call 

 them ) enough to iervethem for many years produ&ions. Seeing then it is certain 

 fpaft bearing thatfome birds do become f effete with age, and that all of tjiemhave at all times 

 of the year atonfiderablemafs of Eggs within their bodies, I think we do not with- 

 out reafbn thence infer, that all the Eggs they (hall ever lay are connate with them. 



* di Gaum: I tl m not ignorant that * Dr. Harvey doth aflert, that though a Hen hath no feed-eggs 

 jnma.Exn- w j t ]- im j ier5 yet after coition (he will breed new ones. > But I think that Great Natu- 



ralift did not fufficiently confider or examine this matter, and therefore he doth only 



touch it obliquely, and by the by. For he together with Fabrkius doth confefs that 



f Egg -clutters there are in the f Ovaria of Hens, and almoft all other oviparqus Animals an innume- 



or knots of raD i e multitude of Eggs of divers growths from an almoft invifible quantity to the 



confummate magnitude. Now why ftiould Nature prepare {o great a ftock of 



Yolks ( whk:h as we faid would fuffice for many years births ) if fhe had given to 



females a faculty of generating new ones. Neither is it true only of Birds, but alfo of 



- all female Quadrupeds,yea,and of women themfelves,that they have in them from the 



beginning the Eggs or feeds of all the conceptions, they (hall afterwards 'bring forth 



through their whole lives,. For thole two bodies in Females that are wont to be called 



^'fi"J^ ne9S Teftieles, are nothing elfe but two * Ovaria^s will manifeftly appear to any one that 



* aufters or wilLbut take the pains to difleft them, made up of very many Eggs of different magni- 

 knotsof Eggs. tude,all which being either brought forth, or by any means marred aqd corrupted,that 



female ceafesto bear,neither doth there remain to her any further hope of generation. 

 The parts of The parts of an Egg are, 1. The Shelly which hardens in the very womb, Before 

 an Egg. the Egg be laid 3 contrary to what Arifiotle, Pliny and Fabricius ab Aquapendenfc 

 1. The Shell, following them, have delivered. And this any one may with his fingers eafily try in 

 a Hen with egg ready to lay 5 or if he dare not truft his fingers, let him but open the 

 ♦^Hens belly,and his eyes will convince him of the truth of what we fay. But if any one 

 Wants either opportunity or will to make trial, let him conlult the eleventh Exercita- 

 tion of Dr. Harvey s Book of the Generation of Animals, and he will there find it clear- 

 2. Four Mem- ly demonftrated. " 2. Four membranes , two exteriour, which begirt and embrace., 

 ranes. "the outer White, one interiour which contains the Yolk, and a fourth middlemoft, 

 3.A double " which encompaffes the inner White. 3. A twofold White, which Dr.Harvey firft ob- 

 White. cc f er y ec [ j n a Hens Egg, both involved in their proper membranes, the one thinner 



" and more liquid, the other thicker and more clammy, and a little more inclining to 

 " whitenefs 5 in ftaler Eggs after fome days incubation growing yellowiih. As this 

 * iecond White covers the Yolk round, fo that exteriour liquor encompafles it. That 

 F c both thefe Whites are diftinct. is even from hence manifeft : The outward bark or 

 " f fhell^eing taken away, if you pierce both the fubjacenft membranes you fhalliee 

 cc the exteriour liquid White forthwith flow out. Then turning back the faid mem- 

 cc branes this way and that way into the Platter ( in which the Eggis fuppofed to lie ) 

 " the interiour and thicker White will ftill retain its place and globofe figure, w'z,.be- 

 "ing terminated by its proper membrane, which is fo thin that it is altogether in vi- 

 cc fibleto tj^e eye. This if you cut, the fecond White will ftraitway run out, and 

 " diffufe it. felf this way and that way, and lofe its round figure, juft as any liquor 

 " runs out of aj)ladder containing it, when it is cut. Then the proper membrane of 

 , cC the Yolk broken, the Saffron-coloured liquor flows out, and the former globofitiy 

 4.ibeYolk. " fubfides [or Jinks.] 4. The Tol!^ of which fee Dr. Harveys Book of the Ge- 

 *; Two Tred- '" neration -of Animals •, Exercit. 12. 5. Two Treddlzs^jxie in the acute, the other in 

 dies. " the obtufe Angle. The greater part of them is within the White, yet do they ftick 



" faft 



