256 Dr John Davy on the Eggs of Birds. 
7. Starling’s.—Three eggs were obtained from the same 
nest; one weighed 115-1 grs., another 103°6 grs., the third 
102°6 grs. The first of these was examined. 
Shell, &c., 82 grs., or per cent., 7:12 
Yolk, . 16-4 ,, : 14:25 
Albumen, 90:5 ,, zs 78°62 
The yolk of the third egg yielded 45:1 per cent. solid 
matter ; the white, 13°5. 
The albumen of No. 1 at 165° falling to 135°, formed a 
soft milk-white coagulum. Another portion of the same 
white at 160° falling to 100°, became ea. thickened, 
flowing on inversion. 
8. Pigeon’s egg.— Weight, 278 grs. 
Solid matter 
per cent. 
Shell, &c., 22°4 grs., or per cent., 8°05 
Yolk. 7.a0Ovy 17°94... .,- 908 
Albumen, 205°6 ,, “3 73°95 11:5 
The albumen at 158° falling to 130°, formed a soft co- 
agulum, of a light bluish hue by reflected light, of a wine 
yellow by transmitted light. At 162° falling to 125°, the 
consistence of the coagulum was but little increased, it 
hardly bore inversion without flowing. At 189° falling to 
140°, it became much firmer. At 212° it became tougher, 
scarcely harder, was translucent, and of a bluish hue. 
By boiling for an hour the coagulum became transparent, 
and of a rich brown colour; a similar change is produced 
in the albumen of the egg of the common fowl, but hardly 
so strongly marked. On the albumen of the eggs of other 
birds I have not tried the effects of continued boiling ; from 
analogy it may be inferred that it will be similar. 
It may here be worthy of remark that the albumen of all 
the eggs I have experimented upon, when evaporated to 
dryness at a temperature below the coagulating point, or 
allowed to dry slowly in the open air, has always exhibited 
a symmetrical appearance, not unlike that of the beautiful 
microscopical object the Arachneidiscus Ehrenbergi, this 
organic-like arrangement evidently depending on the fissures 
formed from contraction of the solid parts with the loss of 
its aqueous portion. 
