The Variation of Eggs in the Rate at Which they Lose Weight

Eggs in general have been found to be extremely variable in the rates at which they lose weight, and it is probable from the data presented in the preceding paper (Dunn 1923) that this is as much an individual characteristic of hens as the size of the eggs laid. Loss of weight, however, is not a simple characteristic but doubtless depends even under uniform conditions on various other factors which are themselves variable, such as size of egg, nature of shell, etc. In this paper, the relationship between egg size and loss of weight will be considered. It is impossible to eliminate variation in the weight of eggs, since even the eggs of a single hen vary in size. Therefore before any conclusions can be drawn concerning the effects of variation in loss of weight, the amount of this variation which is due to variation in size alone must be . . .