LAIRD WEEK IN APRIL 23 
dark coloured dead leaves on the ground. 
(This colour of egg scarcely supports the theory 
of egg colouring copying the surroundings 
for protection; we must find another reason 
in this case, why Nature has given them this 
tint.) There were many mussel shells lying 
about too. We have seen (Part II, p. 32), 
that herons are fond of these. The keeper 
easily caught the young bird, and placing it 
in position I photographed it. But not 
having a suitable background the result, as 
usual, is not worth reproducing. A clumsy 
object it was, as it sat on its doubled up legs, 
too weak, poor bird, to stand upright. How 
these fledglings got out of their nests we could 
not tell, though on looking at some of the 
nests from below, we saw that their bottoms 
had fallen out, and let the daylight through. 
They seemed to have been too carelessly built 
to support the young. But perhaps that 
dead rook, and maybe others still alive, and 
smarting from recent wounds, could have told 
some tales about the matter.’ Feeble as 
1 The weather had been very wet and cold, two inches 
