Page 75 - Design in Nature

Eggs of many birds are created with
camouflage colours. Loon eggs
resemble the form of a pear, which is
the ideal shape for sharp rock
formations. When they receive an
impact, they do not fall easily but roll
around in circles.

The flexibility in the structure of an egg not only serves to protect the
chick but also determines the way that the chick hatches it. A chick that will
come out of a rigid and rough shell only needs to open a couple of holes at
the blunt end of the egg before pushing its head and legs out. The chick
meets the world by lifting the hat-shaped end cover that is formed by the
cracks connecting these holes. 25

Outer hole of
pore canal

Pore Calcite columns
canal in the shell
The diagram
Cones to the side
depicts the
structure of
the eggshell.
m

m
e
a
n
b
r
e
t

s
h
e
l
O Outer shell membrane e
r
l
u
r
a
n
I Inner shell membrane e
n
n
e
e
m
l

m
l
s

r
b
e
h