Journal of Travel and Natural History. 137 



REPLY TO MR WALLACE'S THEORY OF 

 BLRDS' NESTS. 



MR WALLACE'S paper on birds' nests, which appeared in last 

 number of this Journal, was a welcome contribution, not 

 only from its intrinsic excellence, but for its bearing on the great 

 questions of the origin of species and development of form, which 

 now occupy men's minds. It is unnecessary to say, however, that 

 it only expressed his own views, and that our publication of them 

 by no means implied their adoption by us, or any recantation of 

 our own opinions, elsewhere promulgated on similar subjects. 



The pages of this Journal will always be open to both sides of 

 any question falling within its province. Audi alteram partem 

 is one of the principles which we lay down for our guidance in 

 conducting it. On that principle we now propose, as we have 

 placed Mr Wallace's arguments before the reader, to say a few 

 words in reply to them, or rather to those parts of them from 

 which we dissent. On the greater part of the paper we have no 

 remark to make, except to express the pleasure and interest which 

 we felt in perusing it. We think he has completely made out his 

 case, that in the main it is female birds with gaudy plumage 

 which constmct their nests under cover, and those with dull plum- 

 age which make them open. No doubt there are exceptions to 

 the rule ; for example, the hedge sparrow is not more gaudy than 

 the house sparrow, and yet the one makes its nest open, the other 

 usually under cover. Our little favourite Jenny Wren is not a whit 

 more gay than the wife of her friend Cock Robin, and yet the female 

 robin makes an open nest, and the Avren a covered one. Still, 

 looked at as a whole, and disregarding exceptions (which may be 

 capable of individual explanation), the rule is nearly universal, 

 that wherever the plumage is so bright as to attract attention the 

 bird makes its nest under cover, and that where it is not, this pre- 

 caution is dispensed with. 



All will admit that this phenomenon, from whatever cause pro- 

 ceeding, is a means of preserving the bird and eggs from discovery, 

 marvellously well-fitted to attain its object, and calling for our 

 admiration as a work of design, whatever may be the laws 

 or the process by which it is brought about. What that 



