A new egg from Saumur.

It seems that Saumur is fertile in oviparous marvels. It will be remembered that last September, a hen, native of that city and domiciled on the Rue de la Visitation, was laying miraculous eggs, on whose shell could be seen, in relief and clearly drawn, objects of sanctity and inscriptions. This caused a great sensation in certain circles, and excited the mocking verve of the incredulous. The Echo saumurois, among others, amused itself greatly with the thing. The crowd made its way to the place; the authorities were moved and it was suggested that a police agent take charge of the hen, to await the event. We shall not repeat the witty account, nor the no less judicious explanation, given by the Sauveur des peuples, n of Bordeaux, of September 18, 1864, to which we refer our readers for the circumstantial details of the case. Lately, one of our subscribers from Saumur sent us another phenomenal egg, originating from the same city, asking us to examine well the bit of bravado it presents, although there were no drawings, nor inscriptions. Not that he believed in a prodigy, but, on the contrary, in order to have our opinion, so as to set it against persons very credulous in matters of miracles, because it seems that, after what had taken place, this egg too had produced a certain sensation in the public. We do not know whether it is from the same hen. Here is what it is about:

The egg presents at its tip an excrescence, in the form of a thick cord, coiled upon itself, of the same nature as the shell and adherent throughout its whole extent, which is 6 to 7 centimeters. One need only know the formation of eggs to account for this phenomenon. It is known that the egg is formed, initially, of a simple membrane, similar to a bladder, in which the white and the yolk develop, germ and nourishment of the future chick. Sometimes some are laid in this state. Before laying, this film covers itself with a layer of calcium carbonate, which forms the shell. In the case in question, the contents not being sufficient to fill the vesicular membrane, it resulted that the empty part, forming the neck of the bladder, became contracted, folding back and coiling upon the very body of the egg. The calcareous deposit, formed afterward, hardened the whole of it, which gave rise to this abnormal excrescence. If the entire capacity had been filled, the egg would have been monstrous for a hen’s egg, because it would have had about 10 centimeters in its greatest diameter, whereas it has an ordinary dimension. What relation can all this have with Spiritism? Absolutely none. If we speak of it, it is because its detractors wished to associate its name with the first case, we do not well know in what capacity, unless, according to their habit, that of seeking all occasions to ridicule it, even in the things that are most foreign to it. We wished to prove once more that Spiritists are not so credulous as is said. As soon as an unusual phenomenon presents itself, they seek above all the explanation in the tangible world, and do not involve the Spirits in everything that is extraordinary, because they know within what limits and according to what laws their action is exercised.

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[Le Sauveur des peuples, journal du spiritisme… — 1864 — Google Books.]