The ostrich egg is the largest egg at present known, but
that of the giant dinornis of New Zealand exceeded it in
size as much as the turkey's egg exceeds that of the hen.
One of these gigantic eggs was exhibited, with the skeleton
of the extinct bird, at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition,
and a cast of one may be seen at the Natural History
Museum, with an ostrich egg near it by way of comparison ;
but the dinornis egg is unique and unattainable, as well as
uneatable, and we must be content with that of the ostrich
as the largest now used for eating, one of which makes
a tolerable meal for five or six people, being considered
equal to twenty-four hens' eggs. It is, however, rather
strong in flavour, but makes excellent sponge-cakes, pan-
cakes, or omelets, and a find of ostrich eggs in the desert is
matter of great rejoicing to the wandering bushman <3r the
hungry traveller.
Besides the dinornis, there is another extinct bird, the
great auk, which has left behind it two or three eggs, which
are so much coveted as to fetch an extraordinary price;
one of these famous eggs was sold a year or two ago for
* Eggs placed standing upright in salt may be kept good for weeks,
and in China, salted goose eggs are highly esteemed as food for invalids.
EGGS 117
^225. Rumour had it that it was stolen from one of the
Paris museums during the troubles of 1848, but it is certain
that it was sold a few years afterwards by a dealer in Paris
to an English gentleman, in whose family it has remained
until now. At this gentleman's death it fell into the hands
of a married daughter, who resided near Reigate, but after-
wards removed to near Brighton, taking the egg with her.
It was lost trace of by ornithologists owing to this change
of residence, and had quite recently once more been
traced. The lady who owned it was induced to offer
it for sale owing to what was thought the extraordinary
price paid for another egg of the same bird, sold previously
for £i 68.
We are not likely to find eggs of dmornis or great auk ;
but it is reported that eggs larger than that of the ostrich
have occasionally been found in the deserts of Africa, and
any traveller coming across such may find it a profitable
investment, although not as an article of food, for as the
bird which laid these eggs is unknown, and perhaps extinct,
the eggs would probably be partially petrified, although it is
possible that they may be found to be those of the gigantic
ostrich recently discovered in the interior, a specimen of
which has lately been forwarded as a present to the Queen.
Of eggs good for food we may mention, in addition to
those of the hen, duck, turkey, goose, guinea-fowl, and
plover, those of the penguin, which are much relished by
sailors, and dwellers on the sea-coasts where these birds
abound, as also the eggs of other sea-birds, although they
are apt to have a somewhat rank and fishy flavour. The
eggs of the turtle are eagerly sought by the epicure, and it
is related that one gentleman, having found what he supposed
ii8 OUR VIANDS
Our viands
1893Page 56
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
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The ostrich egg is the largest egg at present known, but
that of the giant dinornis of New Zealand exceeded it in
size as much as the turkey's egg exceeds that of the hen.
One of these gigantic eggs was exhibited, with the skeleton
of the extinct bird, at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition,
and a cast of one may be seen at the Natural History
Museum, with an ostrich egg near it by way of comparison ;
but the dinornis egg is unique and unattainable, as well as
uneatable, and we must be content with that of the ostrich
as the largest now used for eating, one of which makes
a tolerable meal for five or six people, being considered
equal to twenty-four hens' eggs. It is, however, rather
strong in flavour, but makes excellent sponge-cakes, pan-
cakes, or omelets, and a find of ostrich eggs in the desert is
matter of great rejoicing to the wandering bushman <3r the
hungry traveller.
Besides the dinornis, there is another extinct bird, the
great auk, which has left behind it two or three eggs, which
are so much coveted as to fetch an extraordinary price;
one of these famous eggs was sold a year or two ago for
* Eggs placed standing upright in salt may be kept good for weeks,
and in China, salted goose eggs are highly esteemed as food for invalids.
EGGS 117
^225. Rumour had it that it was stolen from one of the
Paris museums during the troubles of 1848, but it is certain
that it was sold a few years afterwards by a dealer in Paris
to an English gentleman, in whose family it has remained
until now. At this gentleman's death it fell into the hands
of a married daughter, who resided near Reigate, but after-
wards removed to near Brighton, taking the egg with her.
It was lost trace of by ornithologists owing to this change
of residence, and had quite recently once more been
traced. The lady who owned it was induced to offer
it for sale owing to what was thought the extraordinary
price paid for another egg of the same bird, sold previously
for £i 68.
We are not likely to find eggs of dmornis or great auk ;
but it is reported that eggs larger than that of the ostrich
have occasionally been found in the deserts of Africa, and
any traveller coming across such may find it a profitable
investment, although not as an article of food, for as the
bird which laid these eggs is unknown, and perhaps extinct,
the eggs would probably be partially petrified, although it is
possible that they may be found to be those of the gigantic
ostrich recently discovered in the interior, a specimen of
which has lately been forwarded as a present to the Queen.
Of eggs good for food we may mention, in addition to
those of the hen, duck, turkey, goose, guinea-fowl, and
plover, those of the penguin, which are much relished by
sailors, and dwellers on the sea-coasts where these birds
abound, as also the eggs of other sea-birds, although they
are apt to have a somewhat rank and fishy flavour. The
eggs of the turtle are eagerly sought by the epicure, and it
is related that one gentleman, having found what he supposed
ii8 OUR VIANDS