386 Dr. Prout’s experiments on the changes which take place 
The relative proportions of the saline principles of different 
eggs vary in some instances considerably.* The three fol- 
lowing are selected from a variety of other analyses as 
examples : the weight of each egg being reduced for the 
sake of comparison to 1000 grains. 
No. l.'f 
Sulphuric 
Acid. 
Phospho- 
ric Acid. 
Chlorine. 
Potash, 
Soda, and 
Carb. of 
Ditto. 
Lime, Mag- 
nesia, and 
Carb. of 
Ditto. 
Grains. 
Grains. 
Grains. 
Grains. 
Grains. 
Albumen 
• 2 9 
•45 
•94 
2.92 
.30 
Yelk - 
.21 
3 56 
•39 
•50 
.68 
Total - 
■5° 
4.01 
i-33 
3-4 2 
•98 
No. 2. 
Albumen 
•1 5 
•46 
•93 
2 -93 
•25 
Yelk - 
.06 
3-5° 
.28 
.27 
.61 
Total - 
.21 
3 9 6 
1.21 
3.20 
.86 
* The most remarkable variations occur in the quantities of the sulphuric acid 
and chlorine. The tables exhibit instances of these, but I have met with still more 
striking anomalies, for which I was unable to account. I have sometimes thought 
these differences, as well as some other singular ones observed with respect to the 
earthy matters, might be connected with the sex of the future bird, but as no proof 
of this could be obtained, the results have been suppressed, on the supposition that 
they arose from some error in conducting the experiment. The three analyses given 
may be considered as average results. It may be also observed, that besides the above 
principles, iron is met with in almost all products of combustion ; and the quantity 
in the egg, as the process of incubation proceeds, apparently increases considerably; 
but it was found impossible to ascertain its quantity with any degree of precision. 
f The numbers in this and the following tables were obtained by calculation. 
In general, I did not weigh nearer than ^ 5 th of a grain, but as the substances 
weighed were compounds, it was thought that the calculations of their constituent 
principles might be safely carried to the second decimal figure. 
