Locus [209] vero perfectionis est ipse uterus, cuius forma, ut diximus, plurimum differt ab utero viviparorum. Seminis situm in albumine potius, quam in vitello esse, ex Philosopho etiam manifesto colligitur, cum principium genitale maris in ovo ea parte secerni scribat, qua ovum utero adhaeret. Nemo enim vitellum utero adhaerere dicat, cum id ab albumine ambiatur, ut paulo ante ex ipso Aristotele diximus.

The place of egg’s completion is the uterus itself, whose structure differs widely, as I said, from that of the uterus of viviparous animals. From the Philosopher one can also clearly deduce that the location of the semen is in the albumen rather than in the yolk, since he writes that the genital principle of the male is secreted in the egg in that portion with which the egg adheres to the uterus. For no one dare to say that the yolk of the egg adheres to the uterus since it is surrounded by the albumen, as I said a short time before when I was deducing this from Aristotle himself.

Cum vero eiusmodi ovorum conceptio admirandum sane naturae artificium demonstret, adeo ut nisi quis ipse speculetur, vix mente id concipere queat, quomodo ova, ut diximus sub septo concepta extra uterum in hunc decidant, augeantur, ac perfecta evadant: itaque communis studiosorum utilitatis causa aliquot Gallinas Excellentissimo D.M. Antonio Ulmo secandas exhibui, qui quinque hisce iconibus totum eiusmodi {negocium} <negotium> clarissime speculandum omnibus proposuit.

But since such a conception of eggs really shows the marvelous ability of Nature, to such a degree that, unless one investigates it by himself, barely he could formulate with his mind how the eggs, conceived under the septum, as I said, and outside of the uterus into which are falling, they can increase in size and get out completed: therefore for the common advantage of students I provided the most excellent Mr. Marco Antonio Olmo with some hens to be dissected, who by these five pictures allowed every people to explore entirely such a matter in a very clear way.

AA Ova septo transverso subnexa.

AA Eggs gathered up under the transverse septum.

BB Principium intestini uterini ova a spina decidua primo excipiens.

BB The beginning of the oviduct – infundibulum - which first receives the eggs falling from the region of the spine.

CC Primi uteri ipsius extensi loculi, in quibus ovum paulo post magnitudinem suam {consequuturum} <consecuturum> albuginis a croceo secretionem subit.

CC The first enlarged sac of the oviduct itself – magnum - where the egg, which soon after will attain its proper size, undergoes the separation of albumen from yolk.

DD Secundi, in quo plene a luteo albumine separato iustam ovum acquirit molem.

DD The second enlarged sac of the oviduct – isthmus - in which, with the albumen fully distinct from the yolk, the egg acquires its proper size.

EE Tertia uteri cellula, in qua testa ovi duritiem acquirit.

EE The third cavity of the oviduct – uterus - in which the egg shell acquires its hardness.

HH Orificium vulvae extremum patulum, per quod ovo perfecto exitus.

HH The open lower orifice of the genital apparatus through which the egg issues when completed.

F Oris rima.

F The crevice of the outer opening.

G Inversorum orificii labrorum rugae ac plicae in orbem musculi ductae, qui sphincteris officio fungitur.

G Wrinkles and folds of the lips of the orifice turned inside, arranged on the muscular ring which performs the function of a sphincter.

II Septum transversum.

II Transverse septum.

K Ventriculus.

K Stomach.

Prior icon ovorum sub septo conceptorum magnitudinem, et locum, per quem in uterum descendunt, item in quo luteum ab albumine ambitur, necnon etiam ubi testae duritiem acquirunt, aliosque demonstrat locos generationi destinatos, quos simul omnes ex appositis literis disces. Alterae tres subsequentes istaec fere omnia, sed dilucidius ostendunt, nempe qua magnitudine ova a septo in matricem descendant, necnon et uteri protensionem. Ultima solius uteri figura est, demonstratque utrumque eius orificium, per quod scilicet ova sub septo contenta recipiat, item per quod ea postremo excludat.

The first picture shows the size of the eggs conceived under the transverse septum and the structure through which they descend to the abdomen and in which the yolk is surrounded by the albumen, as well as where they acquire the hardness of the eggshell, and it shows the other places designed for generation, and you can learn all of them together from the letters attached to them. The other three following pictures show almost all these things but more clearly, and precisely with what size the eggs are descending into the oviduct starting from the septum, as well as the extension in length of the oviduct. The last picture is that of the oviduct alone and shows both its orifices, that is, the one through which it receives the eggs gathered together under the septum as well as that one through which at last they are thrust out.

Sed ut ad semen Galli revertamur, principium nempe ovorum generationis, id nostrae mulierculae gallaturam dicunt, Aristoteles sperma[1], non autem χάλαζαν, seu χαλάζιον, quasi aquae guttam dicas in aqua congelatam, pro qua voce Theodorus Gaza grandinem vertit: est autem duplex secundum Aristotelem[2], una, quae parti inferiori ovi est iniecta, maior et ad solem obtegente manu apparet extra putamen: altera quae parte superiori haeret non cernitur nisi fracto putamine, et iniecta parte lutei infra. Hanc autem Aristoteles nihil conferre putat ad generationem: quae res veritati refragari videtur, cum ova quae ea carent, omnia infoecunda sint, quare ego eam cum spermate[3] eandem esse credo. Pro cuius conservatione natura admodum solicita fuit, ovi testam ab ea parte, ubi id continetur duriorem generans: ea autem acuta est, et postremo etiam exit. Quod enim adhaeret id postremo exire convenit, ut citato paulo ante Aristoteles loco docet, cum et alibi monstrasset, luteum mediam ovi partem occupasse, Si quis, inquiens[4], rupto putamine ova plura in patinam excreta excoquit igne molli, et continente, [214] vitelli omnes in medium coeunt: albumina autem {circundant} <circumdant>, et se in oras constituant.

But, to go back to the rooster's semen, surely origin of eggs' generation, our farm women call it gallatura. Aristotle calls it sperm, but not chálaza – hail - or chalázion – little cyst, as you says a drop of frozen water inside the water, a word that Theodore Gaza translates as hail: really according to Aristotle it is duplex, one lying towards the lower part of the egg - pointed end, which is larger and visible beyond the shell when you shields your eyes by the hand towards the sun: the other one, clinging to the upper part - rounded end, is impossible to be seen unless the shell is broken and the portion of the yolk is moved downward. But Aristotle thinks this drop doesn’t contribute to generation at all: it is clear that this statement is clashing with the truth, since the eggs lacking this part are all infertile, which is why I think it is identical with the sperm - embryonic shield or discoblastula. Nature has been quite solicitous for its conservation, generating a harder eggshell in that area where it is contained: for this area is sharp and also comes out last. For it is fitting that what is clinging should go forth last, as Aristotle is saying in the just quoted passage, being that he also showed elsewhere that the yolk occupies the middle part of the egg, saying If after the shells have been broken one cooks on a low and continuous heat many eggs set down one by one in a pan, all the yolks gather towards the middle: for the albumens get themselves around and place themselves at the periphery.