Ten figures of the development of a chicken in an egg
Date
1 February 1672
Creator
Marcello Malpighi (1628 - 1694, Italian) , Physician
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p44r
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 300mm
width (page): 210mm
width (page): 210mm
Subject
Content object
Description
On 1 February 1672, the Italian physician Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694) sent his observations of the development of a chicken in an egg to the Royal Society. The Fellows were happily surprised to receive these observations. While they knew Malpighi had worked on the growth of a silkworm into a silk moth, and that he was working on his observations of the anatomy of plants, the Fellows did not know that he had also been working on embryology. The text and drawings were almost immediately brought to the printers, and were published as Dissertatio Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo (London, 1672). Malpighi believed that the outlines of the chick could already be seen in the egg before incubation. Malpighi drew the images himself.
Figs 1, 2: the incubated egg
Fig. 3: clear globules in incubated egg
Fig. 4: egg with a very small chicken
Fig. 5: twelve hours after incubation
Fig. 6: eighteen hours after incubation
Fig. 7: after a full day
Fig. 8: also after 24 hours, in more detail
Fig. 9: after 30 hours
Fig. 10: after 1.5 days.
Printed in Dissertatio Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo as Tab. I.
Figs 1, 2: the incubated egg
Fig. 3: clear globules in incubated egg
Fig. 4: egg with a very small chicken
Fig. 5: twelve hours after incubation
Fig. 6: eighteen hours after incubation
Fig. 7: after a full day
Fig. 8: also after 24 hours, in more detail
Fig. 9: after 30 hours
Fig. 10: after 1.5 days.
Printed in Dissertatio Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo as Tab. I.
Object history
Printed in Marcello Malpighi, Dissertatio Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo (London, 1672).
At the Royal Society's meeting of 22 February 1671/2, 'Signor Malpighi's letter of 1st February 1671/2 from Bologna, was read, intimating, that he had transmitted a discourse, and some schemes, concerning some late observations of his upon eggs, which he submitted to the examination and censure of the Society.
This discourse being opened, and read in part, it was found, that that philosopher had, by very careful microscopical observations, discovered that, in prolific eggs, before, as well as after, incubation, the first rudiments of the principal parts of the chick are actually contained; but that, in addle eggs, instead of such a substance, there is only found a globous, ash-coloured body, like a mola, etc. It was ordered, that this discourse, and the figures thereunto belonging, being by the author ready fitted for the press, should forthwith be committed to the printers of the Society to be printed; and that particular care should be taken by the secretary, of having the schemes exactly ingraven by the best ingraver to be had in London: as also that solemn thanks should be returned to the learned and obliging author for this ingenious piece, and for his singular respect to the Society.
The secretary having foreseen, that such an order would be given, and therefore drawn up provisionally, a letter for that purpose, it was ordered to be read, and being approved, to be sent away by the first opportunity' (Birch 3:16).
At the meeting of the Council on 12 June 1672, 'It was ordered, that Signor Malpighi's book, intitled Marcelli Malpighii Philosophii & Medici Bononiensis Dissertatio Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo, Regiae Societi dicata, imprimatur a Johanne Martyn, dictae Societatis typographo' (Birch 3:51).
At the Society's meeting of 30 October 1672, 'There w[as] also presented [...] Malpighi's Dissertation Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo, Printed at London, 1672, in 4to' (Birch 3:58).
At the Royal Society's meeting of 22 February 1671/2, 'Signor Malpighi's letter of 1st February 1671/2 from Bologna, was read, intimating, that he had transmitted a discourse, and some schemes, concerning some late observations of his upon eggs, which he submitted to the examination and censure of the Society.
This discourse being opened, and read in part, it was found, that that philosopher had, by very careful microscopical observations, discovered that, in prolific eggs, before, as well as after, incubation, the first rudiments of the principal parts of the chick are actually contained; but that, in addle eggs, instead of such a substance, there is only found a globous, ash-coloured body, like a mola, etc. It was ordered, that this discourse, and the figures thereunto belonging, being by the author ready fitted for the press, should forthwith be committed to the printers of the Society to be printed; and that particular care should be taken by the secretary, of having the schemes exactly ingraven by the best ingraver to be had in London: as also that solemn thanks should be returned to the learned and obliging author for this ingenious piece, and for his singular respect to the Society.
The secretary having foreseen, that such an order would be given, and therefore drawn up provisionally, a letter for that purpose, it was ordered to be read, and being approved, to be sent away by the first opportunity' (Birch 3:16).
At the meeting of the Council on 12 June 1672, 'It was ordered, that Signor Malpighi's book, intitled Marcelli Malpighii Philosophii & Medici Bononiensis Dissertatio Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo, Regiae Societi dicata, imprimatur a Johanne Martyn, dictae Societatis typographo' (Birch 3:51).
At the Society's meeting of 30 October 1672, 'There w[as] also presented [...] Malpighi's Dissertation Epistolica de Formatione Pulli in Ovo, Printed at London, 1672, in 4to' (Birch 3:58).
Related fellows
Marcello Malpighi (1628 - 1694, Italian) , Physician
Associated place