A note on microbial growth on hen egg‐shells

Two strains of cuticle‐digesting pseudomonads were isolated from the surface of hens’ egg‐shells that had been stored in a humid atmosphere at 25 °C. Digestion was due to a protease, the demonstration of which was only achieved in media containing cuticle. 2. The egg‐shells were colonised by yeasts also, but the growth of these organisms appeared to be dependent upon the pseudomonads for the release of nutrients from the cuticle. 3. The pseudomonads would not grow on cuticle in situ unless the relative humidity was about 100%.