I9I7- Foster — Measurements and Weight of Birds' Eggs. 41 

 MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHTS OF BIRDS' EGGS. 



BY NEVIX H. FOSTER, F.L.S., M.R.I.A., M.B.O.U. 



One hundred and thirty-six species of birds breed, or have 

 been known to breed in the past hundred years, in Ireland ; 

 and of these are appended from my own collection of their 

 eggs the measurements, i.e., greatest length and greatest 

 width, and weights of the em.pty shells. The measurements 

 are given in millimetres and the weights in grammes. It 

 ma\^ be well to state that a few of these eggs (Carrion-Crow, 

 Redstart, Harriers, Eagles, Bittern, Spotted Crake, Red- 

 throated Diver, and two or three others) are not " Irish 

 taken " specimens. The order and nomenclature followed 

 is that of the " B.O.U. List," 2nd edition, and where that 

 differs from the better known nomenclature adopted in 

 Howard Saunders' " Manual of British Birds," the latter 

 is given in square brackets. 



Raven, Corvits corax Linn. — Average of 2 eggs 49-35X32i — weight 



Carrion-Crow, C. corone Linn. — Average of 4 eggs 42 -67x29 -78 — 



weight I -262. 

 Hooded Crow, C. comix Linn. — Average of 4 eggs 42 48x29 -07 — 



weight 1-2. 

 Jackdaw, C. moneditla Linn. — Average of 6 eggs 35 ^x 24 99 — weight -8. 

 Rook, C. frugilegus Linn. — -Average of 23 eggs 41 13 (36- 5-4.5) x 27-51 



{25-29 - 7)— weight I 045. 

 Magpie, Pica pica (Linn.) [P. rustica]. — Average of 33 eggs 33-62 (30-5- 



57-3)x 23-71 (22-25-2)— weight 5958- 



An egg 23X 17-2 in which was no yolk is not included in above 

 average. 

 Irish Jay, Gavrulns glanadrius hibernicus With. & Hart. [G. glandarins]. — 



Average of 3 eggs 30 9x22 -5 — weight -5066. 

 Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (Linn.) [P. gracidus]. — Average of 2 



eggs 39 •85X 28 • I — weight i -025. 

 Starling, Sturnus vulgaris Linn. — Average of 17 eggs 30 -03 (28-32) x 21 -58 



(20-22-5) — weight -497. 

 Greenfinch, Chloris chloris (Linn.) [Ligurinus chlovis]. — Average of 21 



eggs 19-82 (i8-5-2i)x 14-105 (i3-5-i5-5)_weight -1019. 

 Goldfinch, Cavduelis cavduelis britannica (Hart.) [C. elegans]. — Average 



of 5 eggs 17-36X 12-9 — weight 088. 

 Siskin, Spiniis spinits (Linn.) [Cavduelis spinus]. — One egg 16 x 14 — 



weight '06. 



