694 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXXI, No 7 
SUMMARY 
The results of this study of the shape and weight of eggs in relation 
to hatching quality, using eggs laid by Barred Plymouth Rock 
pullets and hens and Rhode Island Red pullets and hens, seem to 
justify the following conclusions: 
Egg shape, where normal eggs are involved, does not affect hatching 
quality. 
There are no significant differences in the mean shapes of eggs 
whose embryos die up to the fifteenth day, those whose embryos 
die between the fifteenth and twenty-second, days of incubation, and 
those which hatch. 
There is no significant correlation between the mean shape of the 
eggs laid by an individual bird and the proportion of her fertile eggs 
which hatch. 
The selection of eggs for incubation purposes according to shape 
can not be expected to affect the hatching results. 
Egg weight, where normal eggs are involved, has no bearing on 
hatcmng quality. 
There are no significant differences in the mean weights of eggs 
whose embryos die up to the fifteenth day, those whose embryos 
die between the fifteenth and twenty-second days of incubation, and 
those which hatch. 
There is no significant correlation between the mean weight of the 
eggs laid by an individual bird and the proportion of her fertile eggs 
which hatch. 
The selection of eggs for incubation purposes according to size 
can not be expected to affect the hatching results. 
