Effect of Oviposition Time and Storage Conditions on the specific Gravities of Eggs

An experiment was made to investigate the possibility that reported differences in egg specific gravities, associated with time of oviposition, may in part be due to the duration and/or method of egg storage. It was confirmed that eggs laid in the afternoon had higher specific gravities than those laid in the morning. This effect could not be explained by differences in the duration and conditions of storage. The evident cause was the increased thickness of the egg shell and of its mass relative to egg size.