Some Remarkable Nests axd Eggs. 71 



would ever for a moment suspect tliem to contain 

 anything in the natm'e of birds' egg-s. The ilhis- 

 trations on pages 68 and 69 show a Great Crested 

 Grebe's nest just as the parent bird left it, and 

 then with her covering removed so as to show her 

 little secret. 



In the case of l)ucks and the Theasant we meet 

 with an exceedingly interesting provision of Xature 

 for their preservation. The male birds Avear gaily- 

 coloured, show}^ dresses during the breeding season, 

 and are therefore ahowed to take no part in the 

 im[)i)rtant duties of incubation, as their brilliant 

 ])hunage would only serve to advertise the Avhere- 

 abouts of their nests and eggs, the destruction of 

 which would be sure to follow. Their female com- 

 panions, on the other hand, are dad in sober brown 

 feathers of varying shades, so wonderfully arranged 

 that their wearers look like a part of their natural 

 surroundings. Is it not astonishing that a hen 

 Pheasant sitting on her nest at the foot of a hedge- 

 row should, by its artful colouring, resemble sunlight 

 and shadow so much that one's first glance appears 

 to go clean through her, and her presence is often 

 only revealed by her eye i The birds themselves 

 evidently know the value of a dress which harmonises 

 well with their surrounelings, anel sit very closely, 

 without the slightest movement, until they are 

 compelled to seek safety in flight. How very closely 

 the Eider Duck sits may be unelerstood when it is 

 stated that I have on a good many occasions stroked 



