19 
P a R t I. Of the Eggs and blefts of Birds „ 
But not being big enough to provoke the Uterus to exclu- 
lion, new matter gather’d round about it for another 
Egg: and was the more cafily fupplied, becaufe fo little 
{pent upon the former. And it may be noted. That Na¬ 
ture is fo intent upon fimlhing her Work, that Ihe may be 
obferv’d much oftener to over do, than under do : you 
ihall 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 
fecms alfo plain, That the Shells of Eggs, although as hard 
as any Animal Stones, yet are not bred, as thole, out of 
ftony Parts vifibly prteexiftent in liquor, and fo clufter’d 
together: but out of a liquid fubltancc, not much un¬ 
like to that which is feparated 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 Friut is longer or broader, an- 
(werable to a tall or fpreading Tree. And as it is a Tran- 
fenpt from the Original; fo it fell' an Original for the 
next Copy. So thofe Birds that have a Rump and hinder 
Parts more Oval and fpreading, as the Duck. ; or more 
Conical, as the Dunghill-Hen ; breed, and are bred of Eggs 
alike fhaped, vig. That fo there may be fufficicnt, 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 of thefe efpeci- 
ally, fuch as are Domeftick, and whereof there is conti¬ 
nually great ddfruction made , for the moft part lay a 
conliderable number of Eggs for one fitting. Whereas 
feme Sea-Fowls, (as Mr. Willughby obferves of the Pen¬ 
guin , and feme 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 I broad. Of 
a white fubltancc, becoming foft, being moiftened, and 
tranfparent like a Geliy ; whereinto it feems to be 
convetnble, in part, being boiled: and by the Gentry 
of China is efteemed a delicate fort of meat; although, 
like that of Harts-Horn, it hath no Taft. Outwardly, it is 
more 
