194 BIRD WATCHING 



thrusting up at a standing bird, who, in turn, thrusts 

 down at it, or two recumbent ones will spar vigorously 

 at each other. One wonders that under these cir- 

 cumstances the eggs are not sometimes broken, as may 

 possibly be the case ; but with regard to this, I will 

 here quote the following note which I made on the 

 management of the egg during incubation : — 



" It appears to me that the guillemot sits with the 

 egg not only between its legs, but resting on the 

 two webbed feet, and pressed slightly by them against 

 the breast. At any rate, I have just distinctly seen 

 the bird rise up, take the egg carefully in this way 

 between its two feet, sliding them underneath it, and 

 then sink gently down upon it again. I believe that 

 the egg was so placed when the bird rose, and that 

 it rose for the purpose of improving its position. It 

 seems likely that if the egg rests upon the bird's feet 

 instead of on the bare rock, it must be less liable 

 to fracture, and could be pressed slightly up by the 

 bird amongst its feathers, so that the two opposed 

 pressures could be combined to advantage, or either 

 of them relaxed when it was to the bird's convenience. 



" Have just seen another sitting bird rise, and, in 

 settling down again, she certainly seemed to place 

 her feet under the egg, assisting at the same time 

 to place it with the bill. When she rose the partner 

 bird came forward to her, and, lowering his head, 

 looked at the egg with the tenderest interest, then 

 cosseted her as she stood, and again when she had 

 resettled. 



" Another bird has half risen, showing the egg quite 

 plainly. It is certainly resting on the feet." 



Guillemots, as is well known, lay their single egg 



