THE BLUE JAY 115 



that its eggs should be as conspicuous as possible, for a 

 bird cannot count, and if the hen is unable to see her 

 eggs, she will not be able to tell when some of them get 

 separated from the others. For this reason, it is my 

 belief — but the belief is not quite orthodox — that natural 

 selection has caused the eggs of birds which nest in 

 holes to become white. 



One of the puffins, which nests in a dark burrow, lays 

 coloured eggs, and actually whitewashes them to make 

 them conspicuous ! This sounds as though that bird 

 was a " real cute one," but I believe that the action is 

 instinctive, that the bird does not know why she white- 

 washes her eggs. 



Thus the fact that hen rollers and hen kingfishers are 

 both gaily attired and lay white eggs, does not count 

 for much as evidence of kinship. But in other respects 

 they betray evidences of relationship. Both possess 

 remarkably ugly voices. I have already dilated upon 

 the vocal achievements of the beautiful white-breasted 

 kingfisher, which is so common in Madras ; I may now 

 mention the fact that one of the Australian kingfishers 

 has earned for himself the name of the laughing jackass. 

 The Indian roller has a peculiarly ugly croaking note, 

 and when angry emits " a grating cry or scream." 



The members of both families are inclined to lead 

 solitary lives. Although their food differs widely in 

 nature, both families obtain it by like methods. King- 

 fishers take up a position on a rock, stone, or branch 

 overhanging water, and sit motionless until an unwary 

 fish comes along ; then, in less time than it takes to 

 relate, the little fisherman has dived into the water, 



