114 BRITISH BIRDS. [voi. ix. 



The Pelican, on the other hand, is a most conspicuous 

 bird, much more so than the Canada Goose. It lays 

 in exposed situations and in close colonies, the nests 

 frequently touching each other. Everytliing tends to 

 place its eggs in gi'cater danger than those of the Canada 

 Goose. It does not cover its eggs with vegetation or 

 down in order to protect them. Instead. I have foiuid 

 that the birds incubate from tlie laymg of the first egg. 

 That this is a purely protective habit is, I submit, beyond 

 doubt. 



On the same lines as the Canada Goose and Pelican, 

 compare the Black-crowned Night-Heron {Nycticorax n. 

 nycticorax), which nests in colonies and sometimes on the 

 ground, and the Double-crested Cormorant {Ph. anriiu.s). 

 which also nests on the ground (both of which in my 

 experience incubate from the laying of the first egg). 

 Avith Ducks, the coloration of the eggs does not differ 

 greatly. 



Or compare the Red Grouse {Lagojms I. scoticvs). 

 which frequently covers its eggs, with the ]\IerUn (FaJco 

 c. cesalon), which incubates from the laying of the lirst 



egg- 



A point worthy of mention is that the White Pelican. 

 Double-crested Cormorant and Black-crowned Night- 

 Heron void the fa3ces from the nest, the " whitewash 

 rendering its location still more conspicuous. This 

 habit is not uncommon, though by no means general, 

 among ovitegous birds, for they do not depend u])on 

 concealment for the safety of their eggs. Among 

 ovinudous birds, which depend for protection u])on the 

 ccmcealment of their eggs, 1 know of none which lias 

 this habit. 



THE LACK OF DISCRIMINATION IN FEEDING YOUNG OF 

 VARYING AGE. 



In \'()1. \'l I.. ])}). !(».")- 14. I endeavoured to show that the 

 great mortality amongst the young of certain s])ecies was 

 directly attributable to the diiference in age and size of 



