in the Fixed Principles of the Egg during Incubation. 65 
If each of these eggs be supposed to weigh 1000 grs., the 
weights of the constituent principles of each, vdnen reduced to 
this common standard, will be as follows : 
Shell and Mem- 
brane. 
Albumen. 
Yolk. 
Grains. 
Grains. 
Grains. 
104.8 
516.6 
378.6 
110.8 
608.5 
280.7 
116.7 
626.3 
257.0 
89.0 
643.2 
267.8 
117.6 
575.0 
307.4 
119.5 
575.3 
305.2 
98.0 
636 6 
265.4 
107.1 
596.0 
296.9 
118.3 
624.0 
257.7 
87.5 
640.0 
272.5 
Average, 106,9 
6042 | 
288.9 
If the recent egg, then, be supposed to weigh 1000 parts, the 
relative proportions of the shell, albumen, and yolk, will be as 
106.9, 604.2, and 288.9 ; and, for the sake of easier compari- 
son in all the subsequent experiments, the numbers are reduced 
to this standard. 
When an egg is boiled in water, it loses weight, especially if 
it be removed from the water when boiling, and be permitted 
to cool in the air * ; the water also is found to contain a portion 
of the saline contents of the egg. The loss of weight from 
boiling is by no means constant, but has been found to vary 
from 20 to 80 grs., on the supposition that the original weight 
of the eggs employed were 1000 grs. On the same supposi- 
tion also, the quantity of saline matter obtained by evaporating 
to dryness the, distilled water in which an egg has been boiled, 
amounts, at an average, to about 82 gr. This saline residuum 
is strongly alkaline, and yields traces of animal matter, sulphu- 
ric acid, phosphoric acid, chlorine, an alkali, lime, and mag- 
nesia, and carbonates of lime and magnesia ; in short, of almost 
every principle existing in the egg. The carbonate of lime, 
however, is generally the most abundant substance, and is ob- 
tained by evaporation in the form of a fine powder. 
* When permitted to cool in water, it sometimes gains a little in weight, 
owing to the absorption of water. 
VOL. VIII. NO. 15. JAN. 1828. 
E 
