Questions concerning Aristotle's On Animals (The Fathers of the Church, Mediaeval Continuation, Volume 9): Mediaeval Continuation, Volume 9)

Book Seventeen

513 BOOK SEvENTEEN Questions 1–3: On birds’ eggs. E HAVE ALREADY discussed the cause of sterility,” etc.1 In this seventeenth book one inquires first whether there ought to be a distinction among the parts in birds’ eggs. 1. And it seems not, because there is a greater heat in birds’ eggs than in fish eggs; but there is greater heat in a woman than a bird. Therefore, since there is no distinction among parts in a woman’s seed [semen], a distinction will exist all the less in the seed of birds. 2. In addition, the middle savors the nature of the extremes. But in the first generation of the egg the whole egg is yellow, and in the last generation the whole becomes liquid. Therefore, it will be uniform in the middle just as it is in the extremes. The opposite is evident to the senses. Further one inquires whether the parts of the egg are rightly ordered. 1. It seems not. For things below imitate things above, as far as possible. But in this universe the earth is in the middle. Therefore, it is true in others as well that that which is more earthy will seek the middle more. But the shell is earthier than the yolk. Therefore, the shell is in the middle and the other parts will surround it, just like the airy or watery parts. 2. In addition, whiteness is a sign of coldness, as is apparent in snow, and redness a sign of hotness, as is apparent in bile and honey. Since, then, the hot should seek the circumference and the cold should seek the center, it seems that the white of the “ 1. Cf. Ar., GA 3.1 (749a10f.); Avic., DA 17 (fol. 62rb–62vb); Averroes, GA 1.1; A., DA 17.1.1–2.1–15 (SZ 2: 1237–44). 514 ALBERT THE GREAT egg will be inside toward the center, and the yoke will be toward the circumference, since it is red and hot. The opposite is apparent to the senses. Third, one inquires whether the larger part of the egg ought to come out first. 1. It seems not. For that which is more pointed penetrates another more easily. Therefore, the pointed part is better suited for coming out than is the larger part. 2. In addition, in the ninth book of this work the Philosopher says that animals come out on their head.2 But the chick’s head is toward the pointed part of the egg. Therefore, the pointed part will precede the other when coming out. The Philosopher says the opposite.3 To the first, one must reply that there are distinct parts in eggs. And the reason for this is that the nature that produces the one generated provides for it whatever things are appropriate for its generation. Now, however, an animal does not exist without nutrition, and this is why, when an animal is generated from eggs outside a uterus, nature provides not only that there is something in the egg from which the animal can be generated , but also provides something by which it can be nourished while it is enclosed within the eggshell. First, there is the egg white; second, there is the yolk. Therefore, the egg white provides something in place of the sperm as matter for the fetus, and the yolk provides its nourishment. Nevertheless, the reason why these things are distinct in birds’ eggs but not in fish eggs can be threefold: one is the incomplete nature of the eggs in fish; another is the heat’s weakness , because it cannot separate from each other those things which are distinct; and the third cause is that the fish egg does not result merely in nutriment, or that it is not nutriment simultaneously with the semen, as it is in birds’ eggs. 2. Ar., HA 7.8 (586b1f.). 3. Ar., GA 3.2 (752a15f.); Averroes, GA 3.2; A., DA 17.1.3.16–23 (SZ 2: 1244–48). BOOK SEvENTEEN 515 1. On to the arguments. To the first, one must reply that a bird’s egg and a woman’s menses are quite different, because a human is formed inside the uterus, and this is why it is unnecessary that there be two parts to the menses that is received into the woman’s womb, one of which is equivalent to the matter for...