THE DID-HE-DO-IT 59 



objects. As I have previously remarked, the theory of 

 protective colouration has my deepest sympathy. It is 

 an unfortunate jade upon which every biologist seems 

 to think that he is entitled to take free rides ; the 

 result is that the poor beast's ribs are cutting through 

 its skin ! For example, every bird's egg is supposed to 

 be protectively coloured — even the gorgeous shining 

 blue egg laid by the seven sisters, which is, in truth, 

 about as much protectively coloured as the I Zingari 

 Cricket Club blazer is. The majority of eggs are laid 

 in nests which are either covered in or more or less 

 well concealed among foliage, hence there is no neces- 

 sity for them to be protectively coloured. Dame Nature 

 is free to exercise on them to the uttermost her artistic 

 temperament, with the result that there are few things 

 more beautiful than a collection of birds' eggs. 



So well do the eggs of the lapwing assimilate with 

 their surroundings, that, if you would discover a clutch 

 of them, your only chance is to watch the actions of the 

 possessors of the nest. But the Did-he-do-it is a wily 

 bird, and if you are not very cute he will live up to his 

 name by " doing you in the eye." He does not, like 

 babblers and bulbuLs, make a tremendous noise as you 

 approach the nest. He assumes a nonchalant, I might 

 say jaunty, air, hoping thereby to put the intruder off 

 the scent. The other day I had the pleasure of circum- 

 venting a couple of lapwings. Feeling tolerably certain 

 that a pair had a nest on a flat piece of ground near a 

 canal bank, I determined to find that nest. My wife 

 accompanied me. On arriving at the spot we took 

 cover under some trees and scanned the horizon with 



