Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-12-30
EGG WONDERS.
SOME CURIOUS PRODUCTS OF
LAND AND WATER BIRDS.
fgSs That Are Dangerous Explo-
sives aud Others Which Were
Laid by Giant I,eptiIes-Odd
Uses of Eggs ana Egg Shells.

\ II oST, If not all, of the giant
Nj reptiles OF the Mssozoic
" Epoch laid eggs. Imagine
. how great in bulk must
have been the egg Of such crea-
ture as the Atiantosaur, which attained
a length of one hundred feet from its
nose to the end of its tall The No.
sssaurs OF that wonderful period, which
were actual sea-serpents eighty feet long
and more, were egg.layers. Science is
rather inclined to think that such sea-
serpents do in reality exist at the pres.
ent day. How very interesting it would
be II an egg of one Of them should be
discovered. DOUBTLESS the eggs OF so ns
oi these mighty reptiles OF the past were
at least three feet long, aud they must
have had soft shells like the eggs OF
modern reptiles. Presumably they were
laid where they could be hatched by the
hea. OF the sun. Conc eive, if you c,a,
such huge egg, in shape nearly cyliu-
drlcal, and purely white lying on the
shore OF Cretaceous sea. Presently it
opens and out crawls some such infant
monster as the Stegosaur, which few
years later will have length of thirty
feet, being clad in an armor OF massive
bony plates, and pL sseasng a brain in
its tail ten times "a big as that in its
skull.
The Smithsonian Institution possesses
the most valuable egg in the world. 1t
is an egg OF the Great AUX, which be-
came extinct about fifty years ago. The
value OF it is nominally $1,000, but it
could not be purchased for that sum.
Most people do not realize that there are
other eggs besides those OF hens which
have enormous commercial value. In
England so.called "plovers egg',"
which are really those OF lapwings, are
sent to the city n arkcts from the rural
districts by hundreds of Thousands.
They are esteemed a great delicacy, aud
fetch very high price, the use of them
clusively to the aristocracy and other
luxurious persons. Being only about
the size Of pigeons eggs, a good many
OF them are required to make II dish.
Men make business of gathering them
from the nests in marshes aud wet fields.
A very extensive trade exists in the eggs
Of certain sea.fowls, chiefly the murres
and guile nots, which congrc gate III vast
numbers about Icelan3, Greenland, Lab.
rador, the Hsbrides, aud elseShe in
in the north Atlantic, as well as in the
north Pacific. Fleets OF vessels, known
as "eggers,' are regularly employed in
gathering these eggs, which are as good
to eat rs though laid by hens, though
the tesh OF the birds is too tisly to be
edible. Mich of wnat is known as
"egg .albumen," used by bakers AMI
otherwise tor cooking purposes, is manu-
factured from the wnltes OF these egg'
aud sent to market in the shape OF a
dry, crystalized product, resembling fine
glue in appearance. These sea-lowt's
eggs have one remarkable popularity.
Tney are nearly conical in FORM broad
at tue base aud sharp at the point, so
that they will only roll in circle. They
are laid on the bare ledge, Of high
rocks, from winch they would almost
surely roll off, save for this happy pro.
vision of nature.
One of the ornithologists at the recent
convention in Washington spoke with
high praise Of what he said was known
in the West as "prarie cocktail" 1t
is very much in favor with army officers
who declare that it is the most elective
OF all bracers after too free indulgence
in stinulants over night. The prescrip-
tion is SIMPLY one raw egg dropped in
glass. hoated in enough vinegar to
cover it, with pincn of salt aud dash
of pepper, and swallowed at gulp'
Referring to the commercial uses OF eggs
it is worth mentioning tina. factory
was established a few years ago at
Gloucester, Mass, for the pnrpose OF
making albumeu for Photographic pa
per from Goldfish eggs. Most people
have seen the beautiful jewel-boxes
which are made out of the dark'green
eggs of the emu. The Japanese turn
out kind OF lacquerware with anosalc
surface composed OF pieces OF eggshell.
1t is an old story, by the way, that the
Chinese bury eggs for year and then
dig them up, when they have a OBJ
tanned favor which renders them much
priced as delicacy. People all over
the United States send freak eggs to the
Smithsonian Institute, which has several
specimens, each containing smaller
egg complete, while Others resemble
crook-necked squashes, with necks like
jug. handles. Eggs with two yokes are
not uncommon. aud sometimes they
bring forth four-legged chickens.
There is in Africa a species of tree-sna'l
which lays eggs resembling those OF
pigeons, about tho same size and with
hard shells. s.-Boston Transcript.