AND OTHER BIRDS 173 



By the coloration and markings of the shell, the philosopher, 

 the anthropologist, and the ]ihysieian would have been able to 

 indicate the character of the future child. It would have brightened 

 genealogical records, for, after repair, all empty shells would have 

 been carefully preserved. Personally, I can imagine nothing more 

 inspiring for a child, than to have pointed out to it the tiddly little 

 chamber of carbonate of lime from which some national hero — some 

 great flockmaster, or stockowner had chi])ped. 



The mere sigiit of the shell would stimulate the lad to long for 

 sheep himself. The rich markings would be an incentive and an 

 ideal to the mother also, and just as pious parents in Scotland, used 

 to pray that every boy siiould be a minister, so each good New 

 Zealandcr would desire to hatch a squatter. 



At the very earliest period, specialization of education would be 

 possible, for, reasoning by analogy, tbe most brilliantly marked and 

 deeply hued siiclls would be known to contain the finest specimens of 

 the race, little ones who, in the future, would become landholders. 

 The poorer coloured shells, like the unit found in every Tree Sparrow 's 

 clutch, would contain infants of less promise, but still with intelli- 

 gence enough for the Law, the Church, Literature, and Professorial 

 work. 



Lastly, nidification would furnish rational groundsi for such 

 gatherings as garden j)arties and conversaziones. 



It is true, as Crossjay Patterne remarks, 'that you can't have 

 everything,' and each great industrial or social change, often does 

 for a time adversely affect a ])articular class. 



I believe, nevertheless, that 1 am the last man, who would in 

 any way, advocate an alteration that would strike at one of the 

 most honourable bodies of men. Why indeed should T? Many of its 

 members are old personal friends, and it would specially behove us, 

 to avoid even the appearance of any fresh meddling, after the ill- 

 advised legislation recently passed. 



No compulsion would, however, be necessary, I think the profession 

 would voluntarily adapt themselves to the changed conditions, and 

 accept them flioerfully. An immense amount of night work would 

 bo saved, and if one department was indeed closed, well, another 

 would be o[)cued. I believe, in short, that retenuitestifectation — 

 shell-mending — would absorb every hour saved in other ways. It 

 would be in no degree a less admirable means of livelihood. A high 

 degree of patience, manual dexterity, and precision of touch, would 

 always command respect, and it is not as if the employment of 

 doctors would wholly cease; disease and accident, thank God, would 

 still remain to them. In many ways the change would actually be 

 a gain to doctors. 



Retenuitestifectation would be home work, too. 



In the house of each young married couple there would be an 

 incubatorium, and many pleasant conjectures have passed through my 

 mind as to the details of nidification. It is not improbable, perhaps, 

 that nests might be built on the lines of that of the Bower Bird, 

 a species that strews in the vicinity of the chosen site flowers, 

 feathers, and bright shells. 



If this wore so, developing as man developes in chemistry, 

 engineering, and architecture, each hint of sense found in the lower 



