EGG
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EGMONT
are produced by division of trie body into two similar cells. Eggs begin with the sponges, and occur in all animals above them. The egg is formed within the ovary or egg-producing organ, and in reality is, a modified cell (see CELL-DOCTRINE) of the ovary. The size of eggs depends on the quantity of food-yolk; for example, the hen's egg is large, because there is much food-yolk in it; frog's and toad's eggs are smaller; and eggs of the starfish are smaller still. The egg is fertilized, and thereafter undergoes development. Insects lay eggs on plant-stems, leaves, bark and other places. Crabs carry their eggs attached to their bodies, spiders lay eggs in cocoons, snails and other mollusks in cases. Many worms lay eggs in capsules. Fishes lay a prodigious number of eggs; for example, a single white-fish will lay upward of 50,000. Frog's eggs are held together in a mass by a jelly-like substance. Toad's eggs are laid in strings. The eggs of snakes, turtles and alligators are laid singly and are surrounded by a leathery shell. They are usually left to be hatched by the heat of the sun. The lowest mammals, like the duck-moles of Australia, are egg-layers. In all the higher mammals the eggs, when undergoing development, are retained within the body. They are very small, because, as the nourishment is supplied by the parent, there is no need of food-yolk. Bird's eggs are of interest to collectors. The largest eggs of living birds are those of the ostrich, which are about six inches in their longest diameter, but there are preserved in museums of Europe some eggs of a gigantic extinct bird of Madagascar, which measured nearly three feet in largest circumference and would hold about two gallons. The wisdom of nature is shown in adapting the shape of the eggs of certain birds to the kind and place of the nest. In case of birds which lay their eggs on bare rocks or ground with little or no attempt at building a nest, the eggs are generally large and round at one end and pointed at the other; they are thus turned around by the wind and not blown away as would be the case if they were of more regular oval shape. Similar adaptation is found in the colors of eggs. The whippoorwill's eggs are laid on a bed of leaves with no nest and are in color much like the leaves and so are not readily seen, and so of the eggs of other birds which are laid in exposed places. A collection of birds' eggs with their great variety of sizes and shapes and the delicate beauty of their colorings is very attractive and interesting. To have value such collections must be made intelligently. The collector should know and record the name of the bird from whose nest an egg is taken; should note where the nest is placed, whether on the ground, or, if in a tree, whether in a hole or on a limb or a swinging branch.
Never rob a nest; take not more than one or at most two eggs from one nest. For descriptions of birds' eggs see Davie: Nests and Eggs o/ North American Birds; Bendire: Life-Histories of North American Birds (in Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge) See, also, DEVELOPMENT.
Egg=>Apparatus (in plants). A grotip of three cells, one of which is the egg, whicn develops in the embryo-sac of Angiosperms. See EMBRYO-SAC.
Eggleston, Edward, an American author, was born at Vevay, Ind., in 1837, and joined the Methodist ministry while quite a young man. He preached for several years in Minnesota, but in 1866 took to journalism. In 1870 he went to New York, and became editor of The Independent and later of Hearth and Home. His success as a writer of stories led him to give all his time to that work. In 1871 appeared his Hoosier Schoolmaster, which at once gave him a wide reputation. End of the World, Mystery of Metropolisville and other works soon followed. In 1879 ne began a series of biographies of American Indians. He was a thorough student of American history, and wrote an interesting and valuable History of the United States. He died on Sept. 2, 1902.
Eginhard (ft!gin-hart] or, more correctly, Einhard, the biographer of Charlemagne, was born in Austrasia (a kingdom of the Merovingian Franks) about 770, and sent to Charlemagne's court, where he soon became a favorite of the emperor. He went with him on all his royal journeys, and was employed in important duties of various kinds. His Life of Charlemagne (Vita Caroli Magni) is the most important historical work of a biographical sort that has come down to us from the middle ages. It was frequently used as a schoolbook. He is supposed to have died in 840. His Letters are also very valuable to the student of history.
Eg'mont, Lamoral, Count of (Prince of Gavre), was born in Hainault in 1^22. After occupying many important positions in the service of the king of Spain, he was appointed governor of Flanders and Artois by Philip of Spain. He now entered into alliance with the party in the Netherlands that was opposed to the Catholic policy of Philip, and from a courtier he became at once the hero of the people. The common opinion is that he was a humane and virtuous patriot who, although he did not
EDWARD EGGLESTON
