BIRDS' EGGS 



All collectors must have been struck by the 

 diversity in the shape of eggs, ranging from the 

 almost globular form (no egg is perfectly round) of 

 the owls and kingfishers to the pear-shaped forma- 

 tions of the snipe and plover. Many speculations 

 have arisen on this point. Pear-shaped eggs are 

 usually found, four in a nest — and are normally 

 arranged with the pomts inwards, forming a compact 

 circle which the bird can conveniently cover. The 

 non-rolling quality of the guillemot's egg, adapting 

 it to narrow ledges, has often been pointed out. 

 Then, again, it has been suggested that the shape of 

 the egg bears a relation to the form of the bird to be 

 produced — ^that long-legged and long-billed birds 

 come from peai -shaped eggs — snipe and plovers — 

 and roimd-headed birds — owls, for example, from 

 round eggs. This principle, for what it may be 

 worth, however, does not woik out in the case of 

 the kingfisher and many other species. Again, 

 has the colouring of an egg any relation to the 

 plumage or other qualities possessed by the parents ? 

 Many resemblances may, of coiurse, be traced ; 

 the blacks and olive-browns of some of the waders, 

 the rich, red-browns of the grouse, seem to be re- 

 peated to some extent on the eggs. But the ex- 

 ceptions here are too numerous for any rule to be 

 laid down. Still, looked at merely as a theme for 

 speculation, many interesting considerations arise 

 on this pomt. Before the embryo shows any sign 

 of development, it is clear that every egg contains, 

 as a latent principle, every characteristic feature — 

 shape, habits, sex, pliunage of the bird soon to be 

 developed. When Tennyson said that : — 



The music of the moon 



Is hidden in the plain eggs of the nightingale, 



he used no mere figure of speech ; he stated an 

 actual fact in science. Now we reach a singular 



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