Part I. Of the Eggs and Nefis of Birdf. 
But not being big enough to provoke the Vterm to cxclu- 
{ion , new matter gather d round about it for another 
Egg : and was the more eafily fupplied, becaufe fo little 
fpent upon the former. And it may be noted, That Na- 
aire is fo intent upon finilhing her Work, that fhe may be 
obferv d much oftener to over do, than under do : you 
fhall find twenty Eggs with two Yelks, or hear of twenty 
Animals with two Heads, for one that hath none. 
From the Egg with the Lump at the greater end, it 
feemsalfo plain, That the Shells of Eggs, although as hard 
as any Animal Stones, yet are not bred, as thole, out of 
ftony Parts vilibly pra-cxiftent in liquor, and fo cl Lifter d 
together : but out of a liquid fubftance, not much un- 
like to that which is fe p irated by the Reins of Birds. 
Of the figure of the Egg, it is obfervable, That it ufu- 
ally anfwers to that of the Body or Trunk of the Bird to 
which it belongs : as the Fruit is longer or broader, an- 
fwerable to a tall or fpreading Tree. And as it is a Tram 
fcript from the Original 3 fo it felf an Original for the 
next Copy. So thofe Birds that have a Rump and hinder 
Parts more Oval and fpreading , as the Ducl^ or more 
Conical, as the Dunghill- Hen 3 breed, and are bred of Eggs 
alike fhaped, That fo there may be fufficient, yet no 
fuperfluous Room, or Matter, for the Chick, 
Of the Number of Eggs laid at one Breed, it is alfo 
worth the noting, That Land-Fowl, and or thefe efpeci- 
ally, fuch as are Domeftick, and whereof there is conti- 
nually great deftrucTion made , for the nioft part lay a 
confiderable number of Eggs for one fitting. Whereas 
fome Sea-Fowls, ( as Mr. Willughby obferves of the Pen- 
guin , and fome others ) lay but one. Becaufe building 
upon the Rocks, where they are feldomer deftroy'd, were 
they greater Breeders, there would not be room enough 
for the reception of the hundredth part of them. 
The NEST of a little Bird of CHINA. Almoft of a 
Semilunar Figure, and about two inches and * broad. Of 
a white fubftance, becoming foft, being moiftened, and 
tranfparent like a Gelly 3 whereinto it feems to be 
convetrible, in part, being boiled: and by the Gentry 
of China is efteemed a delicate fort of meat 5 although, 
like that of Harts-Horn, it hath no Taft. Outwardly, it is 
more 
