Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-04-27

egg "A body which contains the en-
hryo ot bird or other animal. So
says the dictionary, and adds. by way
of fuller explanation, spawn OF
fish.
Now, although perfectly correct, this
answer fails to convey in any but
vague manner the breadth OF posSihil-
tiles covered by the little thrce-lottcr
word.
When We consider that by far the
larger number OF creatures dwelling
upon the earth at This moment began
their existence within walls of a more
or less hard or tough envelope, ii be
comes apparent that the appellation
must do duty for Il very varied assem-
blagc OF objects,
II will, perhaps, he iutcresting then
to enumcrate few OF these, for, al
though every body is perfectly familiar
with the form and appearance Of u
common birds egg comparatively few
know anything at all about the eggs
of other creatures,
Not very many people are aware, tor
instance, that at least three OF the
great class Of mnmmalia or animals
that suckle their young, lay eggs; vet
such is undoubtedly the ease These
three creatures all belong to that con
tinent OF curious animals Australia
although two Of them. the cchiduas.
extend into New Guinea These
echtdnas are queer, ant-eater-likc ami
mails, having u very forhidding coat
OF sharp pointed quilts OF their hah-
its very little appears to be known.
save that they subsist chiefly ON in
scets, and that they really do lay eggs,
Much more detailed accounts are ON
tant respecting the life history of the
third egg-laying mummal-th the duck
billed platypus
GrnithorhSncus paradoNus ((or this
Is the long windcd name with which
science has saddled the poor animals)
Is not unlike gigantic mole In gen
oral shape, except that II possesses
remarkable tail, with feet and bin of
duck-lilNe design
It's habits seem to CLOSELY resemble
those Of our common water rat. Ere
Qnenting the rivers and streams Of
southern and eastern Australia, 1t
makes it's nest in Il hurrow scuopcd
out in a bank Here mother platypus
lays two flexible. white shclled eggs.
about equal to martins in size.
When first hatched the tiny durkbils
are very III prepared to face the ylcIs-
STUDIES OF this cruel world for they
are both blind and naked. However.
in the course of time and under the
tender cnrc of their watchruI parents,
they eventually issue from the nest
hole into the water there to frolic and
feed just like other duckbills.
Leaving the mnmmalia. we find that
all existing birds lay eggs or these
the ostrich lays the biggest.
Tho common cuckoo lays the rcla-
lively smallest egg. For instance, the
iackdaw and the cuckoo are about
equal in size, yet the Iackdaw's egg is
some five or six times larger than the
cuckoo's
The fact that the cuckoo Ia wont TO
deposit It's eggs In the nests OF birds
very much smaller than itself doubt
less in measure explains this.
The relatively largest egg IL laid by
the kwi curious New Zealand bird.
The egg Is inches long. although the
bird itself only measures about q
inches.
Crocodles' eggs may he seen in most
museums. They are white and hard
shellod and about equal In size to
those Of n goose.
The amphlbions turtles lay flexible
soft -shelled eggs, while. on the other
hand. the eggs OF tortoises are hard
sheled
The eggs of most fishes are small
soft and more or less inconspicuons
but this lack OF individuality is amply
compensated by the remarkable num-
bers deposited
striking exception to the plsclne
rule OF numerous, inconspicuous eggs
Is found among the sharks and their
allies, for the eggs OF these ferocious
o''hh ''HIS'hh nv IhIki III 6lNtt lew
In number and laid sIngly, instead OF
In masses"
To discuss possible reason for this
difference would be outside the pur-
pose OF this article, but 1t may be
noted in passing that nature has
very plainly written law under which
rapacious aesh-eatng animals repro
duce their kind TO very limited ex-
tent In comparison with many OF the
harmless vegetable feeders.
Among the fiotsam and jetsam OF our
seashores a curious horny pod, shaped
like a bolster, with long. spirally
coiled tcudril at each corner, may
often be found. This strange object.
popularity known as "a mermaid
purse" Is the egg case OF the common
dogfsh
Another similar object, but with |
short, pointed arms at the corners In |
place OF tendrils. Is equally common
and Is the egg OF the thornback skate
1t will be noticed that both these
eggs have projections from their COR |