84 



Our Bird Friends. 



sometimes laid on ledges so narrow that the 

 slightest rough movement makes them slip ort' 

 before tliev haA^e a chance of describing a quarter 

 of their small circle, and I have seen them fall in 

 a shower into the sea when the sitting birds have 

 suddenly been frightened away b\' the discharge of 

 a tourist steamer's brass cannon. 



This illustration shows a Comuion (Juillemot's egg 

 beside that of a Tawnv ()wl, which is usually laid 



LGCS Oi' ClILLKMOT AM) TAWNV UWL. 



in a hole in a tree, rock, old ruin, or some other 

 place Avliere it has no chance of rolling about. 

 Were the two species to change places for a little 

 while Ave should very soon have nijne of the latter 

 bu'ds left alive. 



In cases Avliere chicks run about directly they 

 are hatched, it is, of course, necessary that all the 

 size and strength obtainable should be secured. 

 With this end in view, the eggs of the Lapwing 

 and other birds belonging to its family are large, 

 and so pear-shaped that Avlien lying in the nest, as 



