42 



THE OOLOGIST 



At that time, in over 300 sets heard 

 from some 650 eggs in all, there were 

 only 22 eggs that measured over 3.1) 

 inches in length; of these only 15 

 measured over 3.15 and only 4 exceed- 

 ed 3.20. The largest eggs were in the 

 large series of Mr. A. W. Johnson, a 

 former resident of California, but now 

 of England, measuring 3.26 by 2.34 

 and 3.23 by 2.34. These were taken in 

 Spain. Another large egg, taken in 

 Scotland, measured 3.26 by 2.55. Mr. 

 A. E. Price also had one that measured 

 3.23 by 2.44. Since then Mr. Dixcn 

 has taken sets of two and three froni 

 another pair of birds with measure- 

 ments as follows, 3.10 by 2.39; 3.11 

 by 2.41 and 3.20 by 2.34, 3.10 by 2.32, 

 3.00 by 2.32. This makes in all 26 eggs 

 measuring 3.10 or over in length. Of 

 these 16 are between 3.15 and 3.20 and 

 only 5 exceed 3.20. A comparison of 

 these figures with the measurements 

 of the eggs of our birds will give a 

 better idea of the remarkable size of 

 the eggs of the series. 



The measurements of all the known 

 eggs of our pair of birds are as fel- 

 lows: 



Set No. 1, Coll. C. S. S.— 1904, 3.50 

 by 2.62, 3.40 by 2.64. 



Set No. 2, Coll. C. S. S.— 1906, 3.30 

 by 2.62, 3.25 by 2.64. 



Set No. 3, Coll. C. S. S.— 1907, 3.40 

 by 2.62, 3.35 by 2.56. 



Set No. 4, Coll. C. S. S.— 190S, 3.29 

 by 2.50, 3.15 by 2.55. 



Set. No. 5, Coll. J. B. D.— 1910, 3.20 

 by 2.43, 3.36 by 2.55, 3.26 by 2.58. 



Set No. 6, Coll. J. B. D.— 1911, 3.26 

 by 2.68, 3.23 by 2.49. 



Set No. 7, Coll. R. M. B.— 1912, 3.32 

 by 2.48, 3.23 by 2.49. 



The accompanying photograph, re- 

 produced through the courtesy of the 

 Condor, is of the largest egg, measur- 

 ing 3.50 by 2.62, an average-sized egg 

 of the Golden Eagle, measuring 2.95 

 by 2.30 and a large egg of a Western 



Red-tailed Hawk, measuring 2.52 by 

 2.00. This comparison shows very well 

 the great size cf the eggs. The eggs 

 cf the series are, as a rule, rather well 

 colored, some rather profusely. The 

 coloration is mostly in soft shades of 

 reddish and with lavender and grayish 

 shell markings. A few are bright in 

 coloring but the general tendency is 

 subdued. In one of Mr. Barnes' pair, 

 which, unfortunately, do net appear in 

 photograph of the series, a heavy 

 rusty-reddish blotch nearly covers the 

 large end. In cne of mine a blotch of 

 the same character covers the small 

 end. Three eggs cf the series are prac- 

 tically unmarked, what marking there 

 is being in the nature of rather fine 

 dotting, not at all profuse. The rest 

 of the eggs are variously marked in 

 blotches, spots and smears, some quite 

 brilliant, in shades from reddish to 

 a light tan. None, however, has the 

 sharply defined blotches that show on 

 the central egg of the photograph. 



In addition to the unusual size of 

 these eggs, a most remarkable thing 

 in connection with them is the fact 

 that every egg has been infertile. It 

 is unusual to find infertile eggs in the 

 nests of the raptores. I have found 

 them most often among the Owls and 

 sometimes in the nest of a Duck Hawk, 

 but in the latter case always after a 

 heavy rain which had saturated the 

 ground and doubtless chilled the eggs 

 after incubation had commenced. They 

 never build a nest, laying on the bare 

 ground. These Eagles' nests were all 

 quite well sheltered, being on the 

 North, or protected sides of the two 

 hills; the nests in the rocks being all 

 somewhat overhung and sheltered. It 

 would be most unusual to find even 

 one infertile egg in an occupied nest 

 of a Golden Eagle; but that it should 

 be the invariable rule, and occur year 

 after year, as it has with these birds, 

 is a most remarlvable thing. 



