224 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



and noisy, and often indulge in various antics, even sham- 

 ming death or broken limbs to lure intruders away. 

 Before the eggs are actually laid the bird is very prone 

 to these strange actions. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Pratincole are two or three in number, 

 rarely four. They are very fragile, very oval, and 

 without polish. They vary from buff or citron to pale 

 gray in ground colour, spotted, blotched, and streaked 

 with blackish-brown, and with underlying markings 

 similar in character of grayish-brown. Usually the 

 markings are generally distributed over the : entire 

 surface, but sometimes become most abundant at the 

 larger end of the ^%g, and the gray underlying markings 

 are numerous and clearly defined. Average measure- 

 ment, 1*2 inch in length by '9 inch in breadth. The 

 duration of the period of incubation is unknown, as is 

 also which sex performs the duty. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of the Pratin- 

 cole cannot readily be confused with those of any other 

 British species, but from those of allied species I am 

 unable to give characters by which they may be 

 separated. The locality is of some service in identifying 

 them. 



