De Pennatorum Uteri Utilitatibus. CAP. 3.

Part I
Chapter III
The utilities of the uterus of the birds

Uteri pennatorum, uti etiam caeterorum, intus sunt propter rationem ab Arist.[1] adductam; Nam cum utero contineatur quod gignitur, idque custodiam, operimentum, et concoctionem desideret, hac ratione uteri, et vulvae omnium intus sunt dicebat Arist. locus enim exterior corporis et frigidus est, et offensioni expositus.

The uteri of the birds, like also of the other animals, are inside, for the reason brought by Aristotle. In fact, since by the uterus is contained what is generated, and since this requires to be guarded, covered and heated, for this reason the uteri and the matrices of all the animals are placed internally, Aristotle said, since a location outside the body is cold as well as exposed to traumas.

Duplex est autem uterus pennatorum, quoniam duplex substantia concurrit ad ovi constitutionem, quarum prorsus altera alteri dissimilis est, immo sibi ipsi etiam contraria, {calida.s.} <calida, s.> et frigida, videlicet vitellus, et albumen, et caetera albuminis temperiem sequentia ut cortex, membranae chalazae<:> non poterat natura in uno utero contraria corpora constituere.

The uterus of the birds is double since two substances contribute to the formation of the egg, one of which is quite different from the other, or rather, one is the opposite of the other, that is, one is warm and the other is cold, that is, the yolk and the albumen, and the other things following the formation of the albumen, as the shell, the membranes, the chalazae, since the nature could not organize contrary structures in only one uterus.

Esse autem contraria vitellum, et albumen etiam Arist.[2] prodidit, his verbis. Naturam, vitellus ovi, et albumen habent contrariam non tantum colore, verum etiam virtute. Vitellus enim spissatur frigore, albumen non, sed amplius humet: contra, albumen spissatur igne, vitellus non; sed mollis persistit, nisi peruratur, magisque in aqua fervente, quam ad ignem cogitur, atque induratur: Horum porro uterorum alter superior, alter inferior est, quoniam a lateribus in plano ambo poni haud quaquam poterant; propter ventriculum, intestina, renes, et alia ea parte collocata organa. Caeterum superior uterus vitellorum est, optima ratione: calidae enim parti, et [laeviori] leviori, [16] ut vitello, superior locus magis conveniebat: contra frigidae, et ponderosae, inferior. Rursus quod intus in centro, poni prius, quod extra, et ad circumferentiam, posterius debet. Rursus vitellus ex purissimo sanguine, tenuioreque conflatus, sublimem locum occupare a latrina, et excrementorum faecibus distantem debebat: contra albumen, et caetera ex crassiore, pituitosioreque sanguine conflata infernum locum adipisci.

On the other hand, that the yolk and the albumen are contraries, also Aristotle handed down by the following words. The yolk of the egg and the albumen have an opposite nature not only for the colour, but also for the characteristics. In fact the yolk condenses because of the cold, the albumen not, on the contrary, it becomes more liquid. On the contrary the albumen condenses because of the fire, the yolk not, or rather, it remains soft, unless is overheated, and above all it condenses and hardens in boiling water more than if it is put on the fire. Furthermore of these uteri one is superior, the other inferior, since both could not absolutely be placed side by side and set in plain because of stomach, intestines, kidneys and other organs placed in that area. On the other hand, the superior uterus is that of the yolks for a very good reason: really for a warm and lighter structure as the yolk, a superior location was more suitable, on the contrary to a cold and heavy structure an inferior location. Moreover, what is located internally in the centre, must be placed before, while what is placed externally and at the periphery must be placed after. Furthermore the yolk, formed by very pure and less thick blood, had to occupy an elevated position, distant from the latrine and from the faecal waste; on the contrary the albumen and the other structures, formed by a denser and colder blood, must occupy a lower place.

Praeterea vitelli ovum inchoabant, albumen, et caetera perficiebant, ut ad exitum, videlicet infernum podicem properaret. Ultimo vitelli fere nudi, et mollissimi sunt, et ad patiendum aptissimi, propterea in tutissimo loco sunt collocati, qui sublimis est, et ab osse pectoris, et costis ex omni parte ab externis iniuriis muniti defensique, ab internorum vero contactu, et compressione, ut ventriculi, intestinorum, renum, quae infra sunt, semoti: contra totum ovum membranis, duroque cortice coopertum inferius poni, qua etiam parte exitum haberet, decebat, idque prope excrementorum loca degere nihil officiebat. Praeterea uterus inferior cum totius ovi sit ovarium, merito maior, et amplior superiore est, qui vitellorum tantum est uterus.

Besides the yolks were bringing the egg into being, the albumen and the other structures improved it so that it hastened to reach the exit, that is, the inferior part of the cloaca. Finally, the yolks are almost naked and very soft and very suitable to go bad, that's why they are situated in a very sure point placed aloft, and at all parts they are totally protected and defended against the external damages by the breastbone and by the ribs, while they are far from the contact and from the compression wielded by the inner organs, such as the stomach, the bowels and the kidneys placed below, separated. On the other hand it was better that the completed egg, covered by the membranes and by the hard shell, was placed down, where it also had to have the way out, and it didn't receive any damage from the fact to remain in proximity of the spaces occupied by the excrements. Besides, since the inferior uterus is the ovary of the completed egg, rightly it is greater and wider than the superior one, which is the uterus only of the yolks.

Superior aemulatur uvarum racemum; quoniam, cum ovorum origo, et promptuarium a vitellis inchoet, primum vitellorum multitudo paranda erat: quae cum decidua esset futura in secundum uterum, nulla alia figura ei magis competebat, quam racemi, sic enim unus vitellus alterum non impedit. Propter hanc causam vitelli maiores in circuitu sunt, et exterius positi, et pediculo appensi, ut augeri sine ulla difficultate, descendereque possint, ne ab aliis comprimerentur, vicissimque comprimerent. Sed quo minores vitelli, eo duriores sunt, ut durities exiguitatem tueatur.

The superior uterus resembles a bunch of grapes. In fact, since the origin of the eggs and their store depend on the yolks, firstly a great number of yolks had to be prepared, and since subsequently it would have gone down in the second uterus, no other aspect was more suitable than that of a cluster. In fact in this way one yolk is not an obstacle for another. For this reason the greater yolks are at the periphery, they are externally placed and suspended to a stalk, so to be able to increase without any difficulty and to go down without being compressed by others and without compressing each other. But the smaller the yolks are, the harder they are, so that the hardness safeguards their little dimensions.

Ad huiusmodi vitellorum racemum vasa {quamplura} <quam plura>, et quam suae moli conveniat maiora, deducuntur: quoniam racemi corpus non solum sanguinem trahere pro sui nutritione, sed etiam longe copiosum pro vitellorum multitudine tum creanda, tum augenda debebat: ideoque vena cava, et magna arteria illi subiecta est, et proxima.

Such a cluster of yolks is supplied with very numerous blood vessels and larger than it is suited for its size, since the structure of the cluster not only had to draw the blood for its own nourishment, but also a great quantity of blood both to produce the large number of yolks and to increase their dimensions. Therefore the vena cava and the great artery are located under it and very close to it.

Est vitellorum propemodum infinitus numerus in racemo gallinarum, tum quia naturae unus, ac praecipuus scopus est generationem procurare, ac potius in ea tanquam naturalissimo opere in superfluis abundare, quam deficere in necessariis: tum quia faecundorum ovorum non omnia  supponuntur, et quae supponuntur, non omnia perficiuntur: tum praeterea quod eiusmodi animalia, et ova in eo genita, cum hominum in cibum magna ex parte essent cessura, ideo plurima gigni conveniebat. Unde et quae ab his causis sunt remota, pauciora habent in Racemo lutea. Vitelli autem rotunda figura donati sunt, quo facilius descenderent[3], et per secundum uterum commode volutarentur, et ex omni parte albumen susciperent.

In a yolk cluster of the hens the number of the yolks is nearly endless, both because the only and principal purpose of nature is to take care of the generation, and it is better, on this subject, being a very natural activity, to abound in the superfluous things than to be scarce in those necessary, both because not all the fertile eggs are incubated, and all those put to brood don't turn out well; besides, because such animals and the eggs in them produced, being mainly destined to change into food for humans, therefore it was worthwhile that they were produced in a very high number. Thence, those animals exempt from these motivations, in the cluster have a lesser number of yolks. The yolks are endowed with a round shape so to succeed in going down more easily and in rolling without difficulty through the second uterus and in acquiring the albumen on all sides.

{utilitates} <Utilitates> autem secundi, et inferni uteri nunc proponentur. Atque cur hic maior, et inferior, et ad excrementorum locum positus fuerit dictum iam est supra, cum primo utero comparatus est. Sed longus quoque valde est hic inferior uterus, causa una est; quoniam non unum corpus, neque unius generis, ut solum albumen in hoc utero gignitur, sed quoque chalazae, duaeque membranae, et cortex, quorum cuique proprium locum, corpusque assignare consonum erat.

Now the utilities of the second inferior uterus will be related. And previously, when it has been compared with the first uterus, we already said why this is greater and inferior, and why it has been placed in proximity of the zone of the excrements. But this inferior uterus is also very long and the reason is only one: since in this uterus is not produced only one structure, and of only one type, as only the albumen, but the chalazae, the two membranes and the shell are produced, and to each of them it is correct to assign its place and structure.

Quia igitur prout inter se varia eiusmodi corpora sunt, ita varia secundi uteri substantiae proprietas, propriusque locus requirebatur: merito [17] non modo longum, sed etiam crassitie, incessu, et substantia varium esse oportuit: varium autem dico, quoad naturam, quamvis varium ad sensum exacte non appareat. Altera causa est, quoniam albumen assumit vitellus, dum sensim descendens sensim simul convolvitur per uterum, ubi est albumen, quod ibi gignitur, et perpetuo plus, minus, praesens est. Etenim opinandum est, perinde huic utero accidere, ac ventriculo. Ut enim hic cum totius corporis nutritionis, et conservationis habeat rationem, ideo cibaria plura attrahit, quam sit pro sui nutritione ex usu; quo fit, ut multum chyli illi superfluat, qui postea toti corpori est utilis: ita pariter hic uterus ex numerosis venis plus sanguinis trahit, quam sibi opus sit: quem in albumen convertens proprium uteri alimentum, non tamen totum in se recondit, et assimilat, sed multum illi superfluit; quod intus in utero relinquitur, ut inibi servetur, et eo vitellus obvolvatur.

Since then, like such structures are different from each other, so is different the characteristic of the substance constituting the second uterus, and a fitting location was required. Thence it was necessary that it was not only long, but also varying for thickness, shape and composition. I say varying as structure, even if it doesn't seem totally varying at the sight. Another reason is that the yolk covers itself with albumen while, slowly going down, at the same time slowly turns through the uterus where the albumen is, which here is produced and is always present in greater or lesser quantity. In fact we have to think that to this uterus something similar happens like what happens to the stomach. In fact, like this one, being responsible of the nutrition and of the maintenance of the whole body, it is then attracting more foods than it needs to feed itself, and therefore it has a great overabundance of chyle* - today chyme* - subsequently useful to the whole body, likewise this uterus draws from the numerous veins more blood than needed and, turning it into albumen, which is the food proper of the uterus, nevertheless it doesn't accumulate neither holds it all inside of itself, but a great quantity is surplus to it, and it is left inside the uterus so that it is kept here and the yolk is wrapped by it.

Non igitur mireris, si in hoc utero perpetuo albuminis insignis copia redundet, ac detineatur: cui rei non parum conferunt tum spirae, tum earum transversus situs, et ductus, tum denique internae plicae transversae ad vitellum aliquantisper morandum, ne ocyus descendens albuminis adhaerentiam, et appositionem aufugiat.

Therefore we have not to be surprised if, perennially, a great quantity of albumen is very abundant and kept in this uterus. To this condition are contributing a lot both the coils and their disposition, and their transversal orientation, lastly both the inner folds transversally arranged with the purpose to hold the yolk for some time, so that while quickly going down it doesn't escape the adhesion and the application of the albumen.

Spirae enim non per longitudinem ductae, sed transversae sunt, quo in descensu placidus motus, uniformisque vitelli sit. Si enim sursum, et deorsum porrectae spirae essent, sursum quidem tarde, ac difficulter; deorsum vero nimis velociter pondere suo vitellus moveretur cum ruptionis periculo. In hoc secundo utero notare etiam oportet principium, medium, et finem.

In fact the coils are not longitudinally arranged, but are transversal, so that during the descent the movement of the yolk is quiet and uniform. In fact, if the coils were turned upward and downward, the yolk, because of its weight, would move upward slowly and with difficulty, but too much quickly downward, with danger of breaking. In this second uterus we have also to signal an initial, a middle and a terminal part.

Principio enim superno in membranam tenuem, mollissimamque degenerat, quae orificium latius efformat, quasi tubulum, aut infundibulum repraesentans, quo vitelli a sua membrana separati, et cadentes in secundum uterum devolvantur, ac perveniant, a quo amice excipiantur: ideoque hic tubulus laevigatissimus, tamque amplus est, ut commode singulo vitello tunc alioqui mollissimo iter praebeat.

In the upper initial part it turns into a thin and very soft membrane that gives shape to a rather wide orifice, similar almost to a tubule or a funnel through which the yolks, separated by their membrane and while falling, can roll and come in the second uterus, by which they are kindly welcomed. Therefore this tubule is very smooth and is so great to easily offer the transit to a single yolk nevertheless still very soft.

Media uteri pars ea est, quae a prima, et a postrema differt non modo substantia, sed etiam conformatione<.> {substantia} <Substantia> quidem, quia in prima, et tertia similis fere substantia est, membranosa, et fibris rectis utraque donata: quia prima ad vitellum attrahendum: Tertia ad iter ovo integro praebendum substituitur: conformatione, quia prima infundibulum imitatur: tertia meatum potius angustum, quam latum intestinum [refere] refert, et satis longum, ubi ovum membranas primo, et ultimo corticem contrahit.

The middle part of the uterus is that differing from the first and the last one, not only for the substance, but also for the structure. As far as the substance is concerned, since in the first and in the third part the substance is almost similar, it is membranous and endowed on both parts with rectilinear fibres, since the first part is appointed to attract the yolk, the third one to offer a passage to the completed egg. It differs in the conformation since the first part imitates a funnel, the third one instead of a broad intestine remembers a rather narrow and quite long meatus, where at first the egg acquires the membranes and finally the shell.

At media pars, quae albumini generando, et suppeditando substituitur, suum habet proprium principium a fine colli infundibuli, quamvis continuum sit principium, cum infundibuli fine: et amplissimum est principium, uterusque amplissimus spiris convolutus, et magnis plicis interius refertissimus, et albuminis feracissimus, quod vel ipsis oculis conspicitur. Inferius autem prope podicem vesica ponitur ex eodem corpore conflata, atque reliquus uterus est: quae ex altera parte orificium habet, in fundo clausa est: hanc in indicis gallinis, et nostris quoque observatam continere, et recipere galli semen existimavimus: quod sua praesentia, et mora tum motum totum hunc uterum, tum etiam ovum foecundum reddat, uti infra exactius dicetur.

But the middle part, appointed to produce and supply the albumen, has a specific beginning starting from the end of the neck of the infundibulum, even if the beginning of the middle part is continuous with the end of the infundibulum. And the beginning is very wide, and the uterus, very ample, unwinds in coils, and inside it is very rich of great folds and crammed of albumen, and this is also seen with the eyes. Below, near the cloaca, a bladder is found swollen of the same substance, and it is the rest of the uterus. The bladder has an orifice at one side, in the low part is closed: I thought that this structure, observed in turkey hens and also in our hens, contains and receives the semen of the rooster, since with its presence and pausing it would make this whole uterus to move and it would also fertilize the egg, as afterwards it will be said more exactly.

Quoniam vero hic uterus albumini, chalazis, membranis, et putamini gignendo in singulo ovo comparatus est, quae omnia sanguinem copiosum exposcunt, [18] ideo membranosum corpus venis refertissimum, veluti mesenterium, ad intestina positum, constituumque est, quo hoc publicum munus sufficienter expleatur; quod sane corpus duplicem praebet usum, uti etiam mesenterium intestinis: Nam uterum colligat, et ne decidat, prohibet: tum vero stragulum sese vasis omnibus offert.

In truth, since this uterus has been prepared to produce, in each egg, the albumen, the chalazae, the membranes and the shell, all things asking for abundant blood, therefore a membranous structure rich in veins has been created, similar to a mesentery leaning against the bowels, so that this collective function is carried out in a sufficient way. Such structure offers a double use, as also the mesentery does with the bowels: in fact it winds the uterus and prevents that it falls, besides offering itself as cover for all the blood vessels.

Ultimo loco, pensitandus usus est exitus ovi secundum latiorem partem. Contrarium enim videri posset {efficiundum} <efficiendum> esse. Nam si acutior pars egrederetur sensim meatum dilataret, et viam facilem latiori parti praeberet. Sed cum latior ovi pars, ac ponderosior declivem situm necessario esset habitura, et materia deorsum vergens simul eam partem adauxisset, et ovum exeundi unam difficultatem omnibus modis subire debet; non curavit natura alteram potius, quam alteram subiturum ovum esse, praesertim cum sensim via sine ulla violentia se dilatet. Superest nunc ovi iam geniti utilitates proponere, et recensere.

Lastly, we have to reckon the custom of the out coming of the egg with its wider part. In fact it could seem that the contrary has to happen. In fact if the more acute part went out, it would gradually dilate the meatus and would offer an easy way to the wider part. But since the wider and heavier part of the egg necessarily will have to occupy a low position, and the matter, moving downward, contemporarily would make that part to widen, and the egg has anyway to face a difficulty when going out, the nature didn't worry about the fact if the egg would have run into one difficulty rather than into another, above all because the passage gradually dilates itself without any violence. Now it remains to expose the utilities of an already completed egg and to examine them.

Sed quia video omnia fere in ovo posita non in primis ovum, sed pulli generationem, formationem, nutritionem, augmentum, et tutelam respicere, et illi utilia esse, eiusque gratia comparata, et facta; unde, et Arist.[4] ovi essentiam, ac definitionem tradens dicebat, ovum esse, cuius ex parte animal gignitur: reliquum cibus ei, quod gignitur est. (Nam vitellus, albumen, chalazae omnino ad pulli generationem, nutritionem, et augmentum conferunt, ut sensu patet: membranae vero, et cortex, etsi ad vitelli, albuminisque tutelam conferunt, non minus tamen ad pulli quoque tutelam conferre videntur, praeterea ovi figura rotunda, oblonga, acuminata, et obtusior, non nisi pulli generationem, et commodum situm respiciunt)<:> merito nunc ovi utilitatibus omissis, eas ad foetus formationis tractationem remittemus, quam exequi in praesentia accingimur, initio ab ovi historia desumpto.

But, since I see that almost all the things present in the egg don't concern in first place the egg, but the generation, the formation, the nourishment, the growth and the safeguard of the chick, and that they are things useful to it, prepared and carried out to its benefit, thence also Aristotle in explaining the nature and the definition of the egg said that the egg is that part by which the animal is produced, the remainder is food for what is produced. (In fact the yolk, the albumen and the chalazae totally contribute to the generation, nutrition and growth of the chick, as it is evident. But the membranes and the shell, even if contributing to the protection of yolk and albumen, nevertheless it seems that they are no less contributing also to the protection of the chick. Besides, the shapes of the egg, round, lengthened, sharp and rather obtuse, don't concern anything else than the generation of the chick and a convenient position). Now, having intentionally omitted the utilities of the egg, I will postpone them in the treatment of the formation of the fetus that now I am about to relate, starting from the description of the egg.