AIIXURMAL EGGS. 



205 



also soon a CliatHiicirs nost coiitaiiiinj^- five palo 

 o-rcciiisli-hluc luiiiuirkod egg's. I found a l>lack- 

 bird's nest in tlie si)i'ino- of 1S96 containing four 

 small greenisli-gToy unspottod eggs, tlie shells of 

 which were rough and granulated. 



8oin(3 birds lav their (?.^^>^ straight off, one 



e- 



every day, and then commence to sit, \vhilst others, 

 probably influenced by the character of the weather, 

 lay irregularly, missing a day or two as they pro- 

 ceed. I have endeavoured to make a series of svs- 

 tematic observations on this ])oint, but accidents 

 and lack of time to carry them out pro]:)(irly have 

 rendered my tigures unworthy of tabulation. 



What puzzles me in regard to some birds is that 

 they build in sucli crauiped situations and lay so 



